The Lifeless
by Anne St. Claire
Summary: This story assumes that Shadow the Hedgehog was not originally created on Space Colony ARK but instead spent much of his childhood on earth. This story follows him from about age 6 to the time of Maria's death. btw. Schatten translates to Shadow.
1. London and Berlin prt 1

Author's Note: First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to read into this! Now this isn't all of chapter one, but I'm busy obsessively editing the rest of it! Think of this as a trial run!

Thanks!

Part One- War and Heroes

1939- London and Berlin

Night had long fallen over the city of Berlin when a dark colored car pulled up to the front of the Bahnhof. Three figures then emerged from the car. The two shorter figures kept their hoods raised so as to conceal their faces. The tallest figure, a man in his fifties with a graying cat-like mustache, hurriedly pulled three medium sized bags out of the trunk and threw two of them toward the two shorter figures. Immediately he began to walk toward the entrance to the train station. The taller of the two hooded figures dragged the smaller one along.

"_Where are we going_?" the smaller one whispered in German. His voice was that of a young boy's.

"_London, I've already said that_…now sh!" the taller one, a girl replied. She was older, around twelve years old.

"_Why_?" the boy asked.

"_Shh! Quiet!"_

„_Why?_!" he asked again.

"_Schatten! Scarlett!_ _Quiet, you both_," he whispered angrily.

Scarlett shot Schatten an angry glare and set her bags down. Schatten looked up, waiting for someone to say something else. They were both towered over him.

A train pulled up to one of the two tracks, bringing with it a strong gust of wind. Scarlett grabbed Schatten's hand and stuffed a ticket into it. "_Hold on to this and do not let it out of your sight, understand?_" Schatten nodded and tightly grasped the ticket. Once Scarlett was satisfied that the ticket was safe, she picked her bags back up and began to slowly follow the doctor toward one of the many open compartments. Schatten then hastily slung his bag over his shoulder and ran after his sister.

As he tried to catch up to his sister, Schatten noticed that the few people in the train station were staring at him. He quickly tilted his face down as Scarlett had told him to do before they had left for the train station.

Schatten and his sister entered the queue behind the doctor. Scarlett reached back and pulled Schatten up to her place. Her hand did not leave his shoulder until they reached a uniformed man taking tickets. His eyes scanned both of them in disbelief. He had heard of these human-like hedgehogs, but had never seen one in person. Scarlett handed her ticket to him, ignoring the curious looks, and looked down at the ticket in Schatten's fist. The uniformed man barely glanced at her ticket and gestured to his right. His eyes averted down toward Schatten. "_Give him the ticket,_" Scarlett whispered.

Schatten quickly handed over his ticket. After quickly glancing at it, as he did with Scarlett's ticket, he handed it back to Schatten and again gestured to his right. Scarlett grabbed Schatten's shoulder again and led him into their compartment.

They sat down beside the doctor at a table with two tan colored cushioned benches on either side. Silence dominated the rest of the train ride. Scarlett sat with her legs crossed, reading a book while the doctor snoozed. Schatten was content to gaze out the window at the landscape rushing by while wondering if they were in London yet even though he was not sure what London was. Brick buildings began to rush by and Schatten began to see more and more people and cars in the streets. Was this London? It was like Berlin, but so different. He wanted to ask someone if this really was London, but was afraid to bother anyone, especially the doctor.

"_Are we in London yet?_" Schatten quietly asked his sister.

Scarlett looked up from her book and snickered, "_No, we will have to cross the English Channel before we get to London. We're going to Hamburg first._" Schatten's eyes widened in dread and then slouched down into his seat. He was hoping for a short trip.

As the train finally began to stop, Scarlett turned to Schatten and pulled his hood down. She yanked his scarf away from his neck and began to rewrap it around him, covering the bottom half of his face. As she finished tucking the scarf in she pulled up his hood again and said sternly, "_keep this up and make sure your hood is in place. No one must see us._" She then continued to readjust her scarf so as to conceal her face.

The doctor rushed them off of the train and through the dark streets toward a small isolated dock. Schatten began to slow down, tired from carrying the bag and staying up so late. Just as his steps became slower, though, Scarlett yanked him forward again, urging him to keep up. At the end of the dock was a small fishing boat. Scarlett looked up and asked, "_Is this what we're taking to England?_"

The doctor nodded and said quietly, "_A friend from England has agreed to take us there._"

"_Is it safe?_" Scarlett asked, looking slightly disgusted at the tiny boat. The doctor did not answer, but continued toward the end of the dock. Schatten looked up anxiously, sensing Scarlett's concern then followed her as she nodded to move on.

On board the small boat, Schatten and his sister huddled in the back of the one room on board. At the front, near the wheel, the two humans conversed in English as Schatten looked on, listening to them. The boat dipped up and down as black waves pounded against the side of the boat.

"_Scarlett- do you think we'll have to speak English?_" Schatten asked. Scarlett didn't answer, she massaged her temple while holding on to a wooden window sill. "_Scarlett?_" Still no answer. He reached over and tugged on the sleeve of her jacket.

"Was denn, Schatten?" Scarlett snapped.

"_Do you think we'll have to speak English?_" he asked again

Scarlett scoffed and turned her head away, "_Don't ask stupid questions, Schatten._" Schatten then lowered his head and played with the zipper on his coat. Eventually the soft darkness and the rocking waves lured him to sleep.

The glow of orange sun lit up the room and shined into Schatten's eyes. He blinked and then turned away from the glare. With his hand shielding his eyes from the sun, Schatten looked around. Only the Englishman was still awake. Around him and where the doctor sat slumped over in a chair, were empty bottles of beer and trash. Across from him, Scarlett was curled up, using her jacket as a blanket.

Schatten slowly stood up and stretched his arms out; white dots appeared as his eyes still tried to adjust. He took a few steps toward the door and the Englishman turned his head around and glanced at Schatten. He grumbled and refocused his attention and Schatten slowly opened up the door, waiting to see if the Englishman would stop him. As he closed the door behind him a cool gust blew into him and rushed down his spine. It was cold on the deck, but not unpleasant. Schatten walked carefully across the damp surface to the back of the boat. At the back of the boat, Schatten looked into the control room and could still see his sister with her jacket almost covering her entire body. Schatten then sat down with his back against the wall and watched as the red and orange sun came up over the horizon.

They were going to a British research base. It was a severe looking structure made of plain gray bricks. An address was painted by the door, but no other signs gave any clue what the building was. The two hedgehogs followed the doctor in. Inside, the base was just as barren with brick walls that were painted with dirty looking white paint. The cold hallways were artificially lit with dim lamps that hung weakly from the ceiling. An older doctor in a stained lab coat welcomed the doctor in English. Schatten and Scarlett followed silently. They climbed the stairs up to an identical looking second floor and stopped in front of two small, plain rooms. The British doctor muttered something to the doctor and the doctor repeated in German, "_These are your rooms._" The British doctor continued, and the doctor continued to translate. "_You may not go into other rooms. Bathrooms are down the corridor and are marked. You will eat in the dining hall at the set times. The next meal time is at 5._" The two doctors then continued down the corridor, chatting as they walked, leaving Scarlett and Schatten behind to unpack.

Schatten though didn't feel like unpacking the few belongings he'd had time to salvage before leaving. Instead he immediately ran into Scarlett's room. He sat on her bed and watched silently as she unpacked everything. Her dresses, skirts and blouses were folded neatly and put into the wooden drawers. Scarlett quietly hummed to herself as she unpacked. He noticed the ever present rosary on the plain, cedar desk."_Why are we here?_" Schatten asked, his feet dangling off of her bed.

"_Haven't I already explained this?_" Scarlett replied softly. Schatten remembered that she had already told him why they had to leave, but he still didn't understand entirely. He could sense that she was not telling him something. "_It is terrible…_" Scarlett started.

"_What is terrible_?" he pressed.

"_That we had to leave. But things were turning bad for the doctor_," She said darkly. Schatten sat silent, he didn't want to ask what that meant, but he had an idea.

"_Is Maria coming here too?_" he asked, he'd only met Maria Robotnik a couple of times, but they were the same age. Schatten very rarely spoke to anyone near his age.

Scarlett smirked and looked up from her suitcase, "_I thought you didn't like Maria._"

Schatten, taken aback, muttered, "_I don't-I was just wondering_."

Scarlett laughed and said, "_I heard that she might be joining us soon, yes._"

Schatten was silent for a second, then noticed a book on her desk, "_What's that?_"

"Oh…" Scarlett looked at what Schatten was gesturing towards, "_It's only an English book_."

"Darf ich es lesen?" Schatten asked, scurrying over to look at the words he didn't understand. Schatten opened up to a page with a reading excerpt. He tried to pronounce the words in his head.

"_Can you speak to me in English_?" Schatten asked and looked at Scarlett expectantly. "Hmmm….Do you want to eat?"

"_What did you say_?"

"Möchtest du essen?"

"Ja, _but don't we have to wait?_"

"_Perhaps we can convince the doctor otherwise…What would you like?_"

"_London food!_" Schatten replied.

"_Alright, London food,_" Scarlett said and nodded, not sure what London food was.


	2. London and Berlin prt 2

Quick note! As it turns out, I really didn't have that much left to edit. So here's the rest of the year 1939. Also (I realized this after posting) I should make a quick note that "Schatten" translates directly to Shadow. I don't want there to be any confusion. Thanks! -Anne

The next morning, Scarlett and Schatten were sitting across from each other. Both had a book, Scarlett read out loud as Schatten doodled on the pages. "One-eins, two-zwei, Schatten, hörst du mich auf?"

"Hm?" he looked up, "was?"

She slid his book away from him, "Wie heiβt seven?"

"Sieben," he answered, while leaning back with his arms crossed impatiently.

"Gut. Three?"

"Drei."

"Sechs?"

"Six."

"Hm….sehr gut." Scarlett approved and gave him his book back, "Okay Chapter one punkte two: das Verb _to be_." She turned the page, "I am, you are, it is, we are, they are!"

"Wie heiβt '_to be'_?" Schatten asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Hier, _perhaps if you stop drawing and pay attention, you would know!_" Scarlett pointed to a definition at the top of the page, "Sein."

"Mmm hm." He yawned refocused himself to the book, "Englisch ist doff," _English is stupid, _ he said suddenly with clear distaste. "_Why do we have to speak English_?" Schatten continued, "_Can't England just learn German?_"

"_Schatten, don't ask stupid questions like that. You are much smarter than that,_" Scarlett said dismissively as she turned to the next page.

"_It's stupid_!" he added, slamming his book closed and lying his chin down on it, "_I don't understand why I'm here, and I don't understand why I have to learn English. This is all stupid. English is stupid, London is stupid..._"

"_I think it is time for a break now. Perhaps we can continue later?_"

„_You can_," Schatten growled.

"_Are you hungry_?" she asked softly, hoping to settle her little brother down.

"Nein." He answered shortly, his arms again crossed across his chest.

"_Thirsty_?"

"Nein."

"Okay," she sighed, only a little successful, "_If you would like something_…" Her voice trailed off as Scarlett stood up with her text book and walked softly out of the room. Schatten was left in the bare, lifeless room alone. He stared ahead, silently ranting to himself. The walls were bare and white. Only the brown door was a different color. In the corner, dust gathered, shrouding the linoleum floor with a gray coat. The sole light bulb which hung weakly over his head was dull, but bright in comparison to the rest of the room.

The scratched wooden door opened. And a tall figure walked in with an air of hauteur. Schatten's eyes followed the doctor across the room until he was in front of him. He couldn't help but scowl at the impending lecture. He crossed his arms across his chest and looked up at the doctor as if to say "What?" even though he already knew what the doctor was about to say.

"Thank God no one can understand you," he muttered to himself in English as he began to pace back and forth, shaking his head and rubbing his temples.

"Why don't we ship you back to Germany? Scarlett would suffice," he continued "At least _she_ can suck up her pride and do what she's told!" He became even louder, "_You arrogant, pretentious child_!" He at last switched to German.

"_What are you even talking about?_!" he yelled back. Subconsciously, green colored sparks threw the table up against the wall, breaking one of the legs.

"_You have been whining since we left Berlin! I could hear you all the way down the hall_!" Schatten's eyes flashed neon, and the doctor stumbled back from the intangible force. Schatten stood almost to the back wall, glaring at the doctor, trying to contain himself.

Scarlett came stumbling into the room, her cheeks flushed, "Was ist den los?" _what's the matter? _she asked frantically. Her jaw dropped at the sight of a table leg at her feet. "Schatten?"

"Nein- er heiβt Shadow." The doctor said solemnly.

"Doch!" Shadow snapped back.

"Shhh…." Scarlett whispered and went to her little brother. She knelt down to his level, and put her hand on his shoulder. "Was ist passiert?" _What's happened?_ she murmured softly.

"_Nothing_." Shadow continued to glare at the doctor.

Scarlett closed her eyes, knowing that she would regret what she was about to say, "_He is only six years old_…. _One-one must be understanding_," she quickly stuttered, "_He is young and in a foreign country,"_ She bit her lip and examined the doctor's reaction.

He was silent, condescending as he stared down at Shadow. Scarlett could hear Shadow's angry breathing. The doctor's glare was piercing. It scared Scarlett even. Never, had she seen him so furious. The doctor was another story. She couldn't quite understand what could have possibly made them both so upset. "Ich hasse dich_…_" _I hate you,_ Shadow murmured.

"Schatten…shh…." Scarlett said, and stroked his arm.

"_You know that's not his name_," the doctor sneered.

"_Yes it is!"_ Scarlett snapped back, trying to keep herself calm, "Er ist ein Kind! Er is kein Project!" _He is a child, not a project!_

„Es ist mir egal," _it doesn't matter,_ Shadow mumbled, clearly trying to spite the doctor.

"_Continue on with your studies…quietly_," the doctor said curtly and exited the room.

"_Come, let's go eat_," Scarlett said after a long moment of silence and led him out of the room, her hand on his back, though it annoyed Shadow to be touched at all. He involuntarily flinched.

"Nein…_I'm not hungry_," Shadow said. Scarlett sighed, but stayed quiet. What six year old was not always hungry?

"_Well come and sit with me then, I _am_ hungry_," Scarlett said.

Scarlett ate with Shadow's silent company. What six year could be quiet? He wasn't paying attention to Scarlett whatsoever. The new kitchen had his attention. He examined everything that he could see. As far as he could tell, most of the items in the kitchen were the same except that everything was in English. He glared at the meaningless words and felt a sudden compulsion to break everything in the room.

"Schatten?" She gave a weak smiled and went back to her food. The empathy helped some, he felt a little bit of the frustration leave him. Hared still burned his throat though. He could feel his hand tremble, wanting to see it destroy the words which taunted him.


	3. The Knife and the Rosary prt 1

So to clear up any confusion, I'm going to give a few definitions for any German phrases I use.

Ja-yes

Nein-no

Wiedersehen- good bye

Geil-slang for cool

Das ist doff- that (this) is stupid

Morgen- tomorrow (or morning)

Vielleich- maybe

And if I missed anything, feel free to tell me. Good news is, this is the last chapter which uses an extensive amount of German. So, enjoy! –Anne

1941-The Knife and the Rosary

For the next two years, Shadow continuously studied and worked. Scarlett would push the both of them until he would collapse on top of his books and then she would tap him on the head and tell him to continue. He could feel himself understanding more and more English, but speaking still made him uncomfortable

The problem with speaking English, though, was that he always had to think about every single little detail. All the effort required to string together just one sentence always put him on edge. Eventually he developed the habit of flipping a little pocket knife in and out. He wouldn't even look at the knife. At first Scarlett would snatch it out of his hand and chastise him for his "_awful little habit_". This happened every time she even saw the knife until one day Scarlett wasn't quite quick enough to grab it before Shadow flipped it open. After that Scarlett would look at him, silently, glaring at the little pocket knife.

The only time that Shadow was not required to speak English was when Scarlett was giving him lessons with the chaos emeralds. Still, Shadow considered these lessons tedious and almost preferred the English lessons. The first lesson, though, was interesting enough.

Scarlett had ended studying earlier than usual one day and took him upstairs to his room. She told him to sit down as she pulled out a desk chair for him and then gracefully sat down across from him on his bed.

She held out the palm of her hand and a pearly white jewel, a little bigger than her fist, appeared. "_Do you know what this is?_" She asked in a German which relieved Shadow's ears.

Shadow nodded his head, "_It is your emerald. I've seen you use it_."

"_It is usually considered that there are seven of these, plus a 'master emerald'. But, you and I have two extra: this white one and another one which I keep in my room._"

"_Is that one mine?_" Shadow asked, his interest peaked.

"_Eventually,_" Scarlett replied more sternly. "_But for now I will continue to keep it_. _First,_" Scarlett continued as her frown turned into a mischievous grin,"_I'm going to show you how to use it, so you don't blow us all up._"

"_I can figure it out!_" Shadow cried and reached for the emerald.

Scarlett's hand folded around the jewel and jerked it back, "_Did you not hear one word I said? I am going to show you how to use it so you won't do anything stupid!_" She scoffed and held up her emerald again, "_Now pay attention, there's a reason these lessons will not be in English_." She closed her eyes for a brief second and then muttered something.

She disappeared! Shadow barely had enough time to jump up before Scarlett stood at the other end of the room. "_What did you do? I want to try!_"

Scarlett laughed to herself and walked back to where she was previously sitting, "_That was chaos control. Essentially, I teleported from one end of the room to the other. There are also ways, though, to simply speed up to the point that it looks like you are disappearing._"

"Geil…_I want to try. Can I try?_" Shadow asked, intently staring at the emerald.

"_No, we must work up to that. You could probably do it your first try, but it would be inexact and sloppy, and I will not have such carelessness…especially since I know you can do better,_" Scarlett shook her head and extended her arm and the emerald towards Shadow, "_Now I want you just to hold it for now. Nothing else!_"

Shadow excitedly took the emerald and it started to glow and heat up in his palm. His jaw dropped as he felt the power heating up in his hand. "_Settle down! Take a deep breath!_" Scarlett ordered and instinctually, Shadow took one deep breath and continued to gaze at the emerald. "_Much better…_" Scarlett muttered, sounding relieved, "_Now sit and become familiar with the emerald._"

"Okay…" Shadow said and focused intently on the emerald for a few moments, "_I'm familiar!_"

Scarlett sighed and shook her head, "_Don't get cheeky with me. Sit here and feel its power. The more you know it and it knows you, the better it will react with you_."

"Das ist doff…" _This is stupid_, Shadow mumbled.

Most emerald lessons from then on consisted of becoming "familiar" with the emerald. Only rarely did Scarlett ever allow Shadow to use the emerald's power.

One day after a few months of lessons, the doctor had called Shadow, his sister and his blonde granddaughter into the kitchen. When Shadow entered the doctor was shaking his head and pacing. He slumped down into one of the feeble looking wooden chairs. Shadow didn't quite know what to expect, usually he would prepare himself for some sort of lecture or punishment, but the presence of Maria confused him. "What's the date?" the doctor suddenly asked.

"The seventh of December…?" Maria replied, with her pale hands folded in her lap. Her blue eyes were always happy. Blonde hair was strategically pinned to only hold of few strands of hair back. Shadow glanced over disdainfully, her know-it-all attitude along with her rainbows and butterflies outlook frustrated him.

"Thank you, Maria," the doctor said, an air of pleasantness in his voice. Maria simply smiled. "Do any of you know what Pearl Harbor is?"

Shadow looked at him doubtfully. "No?" Scarlett said, looking off into the other direction. Maria stayed silent, waiting for an explanation.

"It's a military base in America," he answered, his mustache twitching as he moved his head up.

"And-?" Shadow finally said after a couple of frustratingly silent seconds.

"It was bombed," the doctor finished.

"By the Germans?" Maria asked and glanced over at Shadow which Shadow returned with a glare. Shadow remembered right after Maria had arrived in England how she repeatedly asked him why he had invaded her country, Poland.

"The Japanese," he corrected. Shadow crossed his arms over his chest; his head leaned back with narrowed eyes. He was analyzing every step the doctor took, trying to see where he was going to go from there. Was he just trying to inform them? He instinctively frowned, hoping that the doctor would soon just get to the point.

"One of you will be going to training, and I will be accompanying."

Shock rose up in Shadow, his eyes leapt up onto the doctor, "One?"

"Scarlett." He said.

Shadow looked at the ground, focused on it, trying to work out what the doctor had just said. Perhaps he had misunderstood something, he only really knew about half the words in that one sentence. Across the room Maria looked confused as well. Shadow believed that she just couldn't understand what the doctor had just said.

"_Why do they need me, though? I don't know anything! Am I not too young? They let girls fight_?" Scarlett almost screamed in German.

"You are meant to fight and that's what you will do," there was no compromise in his voice.

"But when?" Scarlett said, speaking English again, after a deep breath.

"Tomorrow," he said sternly.

"Tomorrow?" Scarlett was still calming herself when she looked over to see Shadow's reaction. He was already gone. Maria was looking at the door, shocked. It was still slightly swinging.

Scarlett sighed and adverted her attention back to the doctor. "How long will I be gone?"

"For as long as necessary," the doctor said, his voice neutral as usual. That meant for awhile, Scarlett thought to herself.

Shadow was out by himself. Lately, he had taken more privileges. He tried to stay out of the public eye and only go out at nighttime. The world knew of his existence, but Shadow had always been encouraged to stay out of the public eye. In Berlin he was not even allowed to leave the flat, though he often snuck out through the attic which held access to the roof of the complex. Here, in London, though, he had never been disallowed from leaving.

Shadow stomped down the streets. Anger was rising up in him again. He glanced over toward a lamp post and imagined himself destroying it, how it would bend over itself from the force of his emerald, if only Scarlett wouldn't continue to hide his emerald from him

Shadow then slowed his usual quick pace. Where was he going anyways? Almost unconsciously, Shadow whipped out his knife. He flipped it in and out, in and out. His pace had unconsciously sped up again as he glared at the ground, thoughts still running wild.

"Schatten!" a high pitched voice called. Shadow whipped around and stopped. He hid his knife away, so Scarlett wouldn't complain. Scarlett quickly walked up to him, her shoes clicking on the cobblestone. "I found you!" she sighed, exasperated. Shadow didn't answer, but just nodded.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," Scarlett continued, nervously. He looked up at her then turned back to glaring at the ground. "Are you angry?"

Shadow looked up at her in surprise, "No."

"You just seem angry," Scarlett said.

"Aren't you?"

"Well, yes, of course I am!" Scarlett said quickly, "but you have to understand, it must be done. It is…my duty."

Shadow looked down and sneered, then mumbled, "So, you're leaving tomorrow?"

"Ja…Morgen," _tomorrow_.

Shadow nodded and continued his brisk stride, his demeanor uninterrupted. "And you're going to war?"

"Yes, I think," she said, softly,. "You'll be okay," she added.

"I'm not worried about me."

"I'm sure," she said, faking a smile, and switching to German, "But until then, you must learn how to live without me."

"What are talking about?" he asked accusingly.

"You have quite the temper." Shadow looked up and glared at her. "Don't give me that look! I'm only trying to help you. Promise me that you'll at the very least try to be good."

"Okay," Shadow mumbled.

"Thank you! I know you can," she sighed, somewhat relieved. Scarlett wrapped her arms around his shoulders while Shadow squirmed uncomfortably. "I will write as soon as possible, I promise!" She lowered herself to face him directly. "I don't think you'll be staying here long anyways…With the bombings continuing, you'll probably be sent away soon as well." She had fallen to one knee. Shadow held her arm, to try to keep her up, "You need to stay inside at night- no more of these late night trips!" she said, her voice quivering.

"I'll be fine," Shadow muttered.

Scarlett smiled again and shook her head, "Speaking of which, it's getting dark now," Shadow nodded in agreement and followed her toward the base.

As they walked back Scarlett forced another smile and said airily, "Who knows, maybe the war in Europe will end. Shadow looked up at her doubtingly, "Who knows," Scarlett shrugged optimistically.

"Vielleicht," _maybe,_ Shadow grumbled. He looked away, an icy glaze covered everything from park benches to the brick buildings. He could feel it getting colder; the sun had already set behind the low set buildings.

Later on into the night, Scarlett had shut herself into her room, leaving Shadow and Maria alone downstairs.

"It's going to be weird without Scarlett," Maria said, her high pitched voice was clear and legato, her narrow blue eyes just as peaceful.

"Yeah," Shadow mumbled back, trying to think of any excuse to leave.

"What do you think she's going to do over there?" Maria asked very innocently.

"Don't know, didn't even know the Japanese were in this."

"Gran-pa told me that the Japanese are mad at the Americans," Maria said matter-of-factly "Said that Japan took part of China, like how the Germans took Poland." She paused for a moment and added, "I'm going to miss Gran-pa…"

Shadow just looked at her to show that he had heard. After thinking for a second he said, "Why do we care? It's a completely different war."

"The Americans are our friends," Maria answered simply.

"Britain's friends."

"Well, we're British now," Maria said, and Shadow looked up at her in surprise.

"I'm not," he replied.

"Then what are you?" Her tone was still bright, still cheery.

"A hedgehog," Shadow answered shortly.

"Are you a British hedgehog?"

"No, I'm just a hedgehog."

"_Just_? What do you mean?"

"I'm not a human."

"Neither are German shepherds, or English Sheep-Dogs, Italian pinchers aren't people!"

"So I'm a dog?" Shadow said, now amused.

Maria smiled and giggled, "No, you're a hedgehog. But I think you look like a Beagle…hmmm….no you're more of a mutt."

"A mutt...great," Shadow almost laughed as he groaned. Maria laughed as her smile widened, thrilled to almost make Shadow laugh.

Scarlett sat alone in the blinding light of her room. _"We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy feet- but thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy…." _ She mumbled under her breath, making a diminuendo into silence, thinking the words. The clock said 2 AM, but her eyes were still peeled open. Every prayer conceivable had been murmured from the prayer book. Her mind had finally shut down.

"In the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit," she crossed herself.

There was a quiet knock on her door, "Yes?"

"Scarlett?" Shadow opened the door.

"Was ist den los?" _What's the matter,_ she asked.

"_You're leaving today_," he said.

„Ich weiss..." _I know,_ she sighed, „are you going to be okay?"

"Me? Yes," he said, crossing himself beside Scarlett.

"Could you not get to sleep?"

"No…Tried though," he said.

"I will write you as much as possible," she said.

"Thanks," he said almost hopelessly, seeing through his sister's façade.

"Now, I have something to give you before I have to leave," Scarlett said. She walked over to her wardrobe and opened up one of the drawers. After digging through a mess of papers and spare clothes she pulled out a glossy black emerald. "Here," she said quietly, handing the emerald over. Shadow took the emerald from her hand and examined it, looking at every perfect angle and unscratched reflection on its surface. "_I know that you dislike all the tedious training that we've been doing, but it really is necessary. Promise me you'll be careful with it?_"

"_I will_," he said.

" Good, and just try…_try_…to do as they say, it'll be s much easier if you do."

"I'll try."

The rest of the morning rushed by. Before either knew it, they were in the train station and final goodbyes were being said. One final time Scarlett kneeled down and wrapped her arms around her brother's shoulders, "Wiedersehen," Scarlett murmured to her brother as she embraced him, holding back tears.

Shadow didn't say anything, he continue to stare down at the ground, afraid to look up at Scarlett. She had few belongings. Her prayer book was clutched in the warmth of her right hand. After waiting a few long moments for Shadow to say something, Scarlett quietly picked up her bag and walked toward the train. Shadow looked up one final time and saw her smile weakly and step out of sight.

Back at the base, Shadow stayed alone in Scarlett's old room. It was even emptier than before, except for her bedside table which had a set of chipped wooden prayer beads lying on it. He picked it up along with a note with only two words on it. _Für Schatten_

The small rosary that Scarlett had left behind was there in his palm. He put it around his wrist, as Scarlett so often did, under his white glove. Only the biggest charm, the cross, dangled out from under his glove.

He slipped his usual gold ring over his wrist, concealing the rosary. "Wiedersehen, Scarlett," he mumbled to himself. He could almost hear her answer.


	4. The Knife and the Rosary prt 2

Now I know I've been posting new chapters at an insane speed, but since I only have to go through and edit what I already have it's not too difficult. This may be my last post for a little while (and by a little while I mean about a few days) for several reasons. One, this next week is look pretty fearsome and busy. And then I've actually started another story (first new story in a couple years!), so I've been preoccupied with that. Also, I haven't quite written the ending to this story and I like to have a little lag time between writing and editing things. Now here's the rest of 1941!

-Anne

"Now where is that boy?" an older man growled to himself.

"I'm right here," Shadow said dryly, he was standing impatiently in the doorway. In the three weeks that Dr. Freemont had been in charge of him, he had already grown to hate him.

"There you are…" he grumbled, "thought you'd run off again."

Shadow looked at him indignantly, but managed to hold his tongue. His stood still, waiting for some sort of direction, some reason that he had been called downstairs. Finally Freemont whipped around and quipped, "Well, don't just stand there, be useful!" Shadow assumed that meant that he could just leave. He set out to find Maria and see what she was doing.

The sickly Maria was weakly sitting up, sipping soup from a spoon. Her hair was still pinned up but stray strands stuck out on all sides, "Hello, Shadow," she said, her voice hoarse and weak, "how are you?"

"Alright," he said shortly.

"Well… I'm going to go back to bed right after I finish, Freemont says that I should try to get some sleep," she sighed and added, "I can't believe I'm sick on Christmas eve!"

Shadow stayed silent and waited for Maria to continue.

"But on the bright side- tomorrow's Christmas!" She hoarsely giggled, "Gran-pa left behind some gifts before he left, I can't wait to see!" She silently sipped up the last of her soup.

Her face darkened to a sad frown, "I guess I have to go to bed now….Good night!" she chimed and so gracefully slumped off.

"Night."

In a last minute rush, Shadow had procrastinated to buy one of the two presents he would buy that year. Without much money, they both had to be cheap, and Scarlett's had to be light so it would be cheap to mail, though, he realized, she would be probably receive it around her birthday.

He wondered if anywhere would still be open, it was doubtful, but he decided to try anyways. As he walked down the street, his shoulders huddled together in the December cold, he tried to decide what he would buy them. Still, Shadow could not pull his mind away from the frigid wind whipping him in the face. The cold was biting and Shadow knew that soon the sun would set and the only source of warmth would be gone. Shadow could feel a bit of frost bite his ear. Around him, closed signs hung in every window and on every door. Shadow stopped and frowned as he considered what to do. Maria wouldn't mind a present that's a day late and Scarlett would not be able to tell the difference anyways.

The chill of the wind seemed to engulf more of him on the way home. Through the foggy, dark mask, the city looked bare and gray. The research base rose up in the distance. He quickened his pace in anticipation of leaving the bitter cold. He ran up the small steps leading to the door and reached for the door knob so to get into the heat.

He turned to round brass knob, it went away then came to a sudden stop: a lock. He jerked it again in disbelief. He hit his fist up against the door, "Freemont?" He called out, "Maria?" He waited for an answer. The night stayed silent. He jogged around to the other door.

That door wouldn't budge for him either. Up above him, he saw the lit window. "Freemont!" He called out again. He could have sworn that he saw a dark form cross the light. "Open the door!" With that, the light went out. He could feel his face darken. "Doctor Freemont?" That had to have been the loudest he had raised his voice ever.

The wind became more of a presence. Shadow stared up at the window in disbelief. Maybe he would be able to open it and sneak in that way. He jumped up onto the ledge using a thin, withering tree branch. He tried to pull it up but still it wouldn't budge.

Shadow banged his fist up against the wall in frustration. "What the hell?" He pushed his back up against the wall and sat parallel to the window. Shadow could almost feel the warmth from inside. Or maybe it was just in his head. His head hit up against the window. A little bit of heat radiated from inside, tempting Shadow to just break the window. He debated the option. He could do it, and he knew it. The repercussions might be worse than his current state though…

He decided not to. Maybe Dr. Freemont would decide to have mercy, or maybe Maria would find him. Maybe Maria…

The rest was a daze. He could only see the pitch black. No thoughts crossed his mind except the question of where was he? He stayed just as silent. Freemont knew he was there, Shadow was sure of it. With a split second of thought and anger, Shadow thrashed his fist against the window and then in the silence of the night came a cracking noise. He held up his fist and considered again breaking the window. It was already cracked, he reasoned, so he would already reap the punishment. Why not at least be warm and punished?

Shadow pulled his left arm back and steadied himself against the top of the window sill. He took a deep breath and punched through the window. Glass stabbed into his hand, ripping his glove and splattering blood onto it. Shadow pulled his arm back and slipped into the room. Though it was dark inside, Shadow could see the outline of a book shelf, a desk and some filing cabinets. He was in one of the scientists' study.

He cradled his injured hand to keep blood from dripping down onto the floor and hurried out into the hall and to his room. Inside the safety of his room, he propped a chair up against the door knob in an attempt to keep any intruders out. Once Shadow was completely sure that he was not going to be disturbed, he sat down to further examine his wound.

Some glass shards were still embedded and stung viciously whenever Shadow made the slightest movement. Shadow stared at the cuts for another moment, trying to decide which glass shard to pull out first. Slowly, he pulled out every last bit of glass he could see and considered that sufficient for the night.

After rummaging through his wardrobe for something with which to wrap his hand, Shadow found a worn, old scarf and wrapped it tightly around his hand. Finally, he turned off the lights and slept.

The next morning, after much deliberation, Shadow decided that he should brave any consequences Freemont had for him and leave for the hospital wing. Gingerly holding his left hand, Shadow tried to be stealthy as he made his way to the hospital wing. He turned the corner to the furthest most hall and could see the door leading to the hospital wing at the very end. He breathed a sigh of relief that he had delayed facing Freemont for another stretch of time.

Just as Shadow was convinced he was safe, a hand jerked his shoulder around and Freemont was there staring down at Shadow. Did the man not have a family to visit on such a significant holiday?

"I knew it was you!" he sputtered, "Wandering around when you're not supposed to! Vandalizing! _Bleeding_ all over the place!"

"I can't imagine what you expected me to do. Freeze?" Shadow retorted, and scowled at the scientist.

"And look at this mess! Haphazardly wrapping this thing up," he motioned wildly at Shadow's hand, "No doubt it's infected! It'd serve you right to have it cut off!"

"Maybe I should go to the hospital wing then?" Shadow suggested dryly.

Freemont huffed and his nostrils flared, "Fine! I will deal with this later!"

Shadow shrugged and continued towards the hospital wing, smiling to himself.

Inside the clinic, there was one operating room which was rarely used and one examination room which led directly out into the hall. Sitting on the table was Maria, hunched over with a faded blanket wrapped around her shoulders. As Shadow walked in, she gave him a tired glance and then continued to stare blankly at the wall in front of her.

Shadow nonchalantly took a seat by the door, "Still sick?" he asked.

"Mmmmhm," she groaned.

After a few minutes of silence, the second door in the room opened and a middle aged man in a neat, white lab coat walked in. "One more?" he asked and glanced over at Shadow, "Just one moment…" He then turned to Maria, "Take this to your mother. The pharmacy should be open tomorrow, you can fill the prescription then," he said and handed Maria a thin sheet of paper. Slowly, Maria slid down from the examination table and shuffled out of the examination room, the tail of her blanket dragging behind her.

"Alright. Come up here and sit so I can see you properly," the doctor said as he motioned toward the table. Without a word, Shadow walked over and jumped up onto the table. "What do we have here?" the doctor mumbled as Shadow removed the scarf from his hand.

The doctor gave a disgusted frown and asked, "What in God's name did you do?"

"Punched through a window."

Later that day, Shadow sat alone in his room, his hand properly bandaged, and tried to avoid the lethargic effects of pain killers. Maria had not returned to the base after her visit to the doctor. Her visits had become more infrequent since her mother had found a flat. Shadow suspected that Anka Robotnik had decided to move after two years of living on base because of Dr. Robotnik's absence. He had heard some of the other scientists complaining about "special privileges". During the days, though, Maria often came to the base after school until her mother's work day ended.

When Shadow looked up at the clock he noticed that is was already nine at night. He already knew that he wouldn't be getting dinner. This didn't particularly bother him as he was not really hungry anyways, mostly he just wanted to pass out and sleep. As he looked back on that Christmas day, he remembered wearily that he had not attended any church service of any kind. With a slight sense of humor, Shadow imagined Scarlett's horror if she ever found out.

"Sorry," he mumbled, the rosary still tucked under his glove. He wished to himself that Scarlett would write to him- she probably hadn't had the time.

That would have been a nice present to receive.


	5. The Alley of the Damned prt 1

Here it is! This year is a particularly long one, so there are definitely going to be more than two parts! Anyways, leave any comments, observations, corrections, constructive criticisms, etc.! Enjoy!

-Anne

1942-The Alley of the Damned

March-

Shadow only looked at the table where the mail was always placed. He quickly searched the pile and hoped he wouldn't be discovered. Shadow couldn't understand his continued optimism. It had been over three months, and still nothing from his sister.

Maria and Anka had quietly been moved away from London. Shadow suspected that they had gone to the newly completed space colony. A few months ago, even before Scarlett had left, there had been celebrations for the opening of the colony and the first few scientists who had made their move there. Dr. Robotnik had said that it was a monument success for GUN which was struggling in the aftermath of the breakdown of peace in the world.

The celebrations had died down though and Shadow had spent the majority of the preceding month alone. Shadow went to his corner in Scarlett's now empty room. He had recently converted it into his own bedroom because it was slightly bigger. A bare light bulb hung onto the ceiling with tattered scraps of paper and dilapidated books in the corner.

In his corner, Shadow reflected on his most recent decision he made after sneaking out again. He was starving, and knew that he had lost some weight, but didn't dare investigate exactly how much.

Scarlett's chiding ran over and over again in Shadow's head, "_This is illegal! It's immoral! It's a sin, Schatten_!" Suppressing these thoughts, Shadow pulled out a baguette and some unknown deli meat that he had swiped right in front of the butcher, too fast for him to see. As Shadow chuckled at how easy it was, Scarlett's lectures rang out again. "_That man probably has a wife and family to feed_!" And so on.

Nevertheless, the food was satisfying even though the meat tasted a bit strange. What had he taken anyways?

Rationing a little bit for later, Shadow tucked the leftovers behind a pile of books and went down towards the kitchen, maybe with the luck he had gotten that day, he could also sneak something else.

Halfway down the hall, Shadow could hear the faint sound of footsteps. He furrowed his brow in frustration.

"Where've you been?" Freemont asked.

"Nowhere," Shadow said, more irritable than usual.

"You were just wandering again, weren't you?"

"Sure," he replied sarcastically.

"Tell the truth," Freemont could sense how broken Shadow was.

"I always tell the truth," Shadow replied.

"You want to eat tonight?"

"Haven't you heard? I'm the ultimate life form! I don't need your disgusting food. I can take care of myself," Shadow declared.

"Then you should do so," he said, "Because Scarlett and Robotnik obviously won't." Shadow glared at Freemont, but remained silent.

Shadow turned in the stiff silence and marched upstairs. Once inside his room, Shadow looked at all his things scattered around and wondered if he really could be completely independent. He considered the thought for a moment, and then on impulse began throwing some items- a spare jacket, the rest of the food he had stolen and other things he deemed worthy-into an olive green back pack.

After slinging the bag over his shoulder and turning towards the window, Shadow considered his actions one last time. He could not imagine staying, though, so he opened up his window and jumped down. Shadow landed softly on the ground and glanced back up at the window before walking away from the base.

With his hands in his coat pockets, Shadow was once again roaming the London streets. He remembered the last time he had seen Maria.

"Mama says that the bombings are too dangerous, she wants to go someplace safer."

"And where's that?" Shadow said with a laugh. He doubted the possibility of Maria moving away. Anka Robotnik had threatened many times to leave Britain, but fear always kept her planted to the research base where there was a job and a sympathetic relative's support.

"She wants to go to live in the new colony _in space_," Maria said, her eyes widening. Again, Shadow snickered at the absurdity. Maria frowned and continued, "Yeah….but it won't be for awhile I think. I mean Mama would've told me if we were moving soon."

Shadow couldn't remember the rest of the conversation. His mind searched for his last conversation with Scarlett. Again, he was struggling for the memory. He stared at the ground, distraught. What had she said? He was exhausted that day, from staying up half the night. The only memory which was not blurred was what he had last said to her as she stepped into the flurry of snow and out of sight. _"Wiedersehen, Scarlett."_ Then he knew that no matter how much he played it out in his mind, Scarlett hadn't answered.

She hadn't answered at all. He couldn't comprehend that Scarlett would completely forget about him. It wasn't like her- there must be an explanation! He tried to rationalize it- the train station was loud, he could barely hear himself think over the roar of the engine. There was no way she could have heard him.

Once Shadow had pulled himself back to the present, he realized he had to decide where he was going- no more aimless wandering. He had to have a purpose. With no Scarlett to lead him, and no Maria to accompany him, Shadow had to decide on his own.

As he walked on and on, Shadow came to realize that he was completely lost and night was approaching. It was then that Shadow regretted not thinking through his situation more thoroughly. He chided himself for leaving so suddenly. He should have made a plan, he should have prepared more, he should not have run away so quickly.

Shadow stopped and looked around, considering his few options. He could return to the base, but he wasn't entirely sure of the way back or he could quickly find shelter. He scanned the street for any options and about a block away, a church steeple towered over the neighboring buildings. He approached the dark brick building and hoped that the door would open. He had never before thought if churches closed after working hours. The front door loomed over him. It must have been about seven feet high. Shadow pushed his shoulder up against the door and pressed all of his weight up against it but it did not budge.

Staring up at the locked door, Shadow tried to think of another way in. Perhaps a back door would be open. He walked around the building, through an alley to the back of the church. In the darkness, Shadow saw a smaller door which resembled the front door in every way but size. He approached it and pulled the handle down. Luckily this door opened smoothly and Shadow was able to walk into the vestry of the church. Around him hung vestments, a crucifix along with matching torches. He felt his way to the door on the other side of them and carefully opened it.

He now stood in the sanctuary. To his left stood pew after pew and to his right the pulpit and the altar. Shadow walked down the aisle of pews, his footsteps echoing on the stone floors. A small amount of moonlight shone in through the stained glass windows as he made his way to the back of the sanctuary. Finally, Shadow came to one of the back pews and took a seat. When he looked up, he noticed a large crucifix hanging above the altar. The overlarge, crucified Jesus looked down on him and Shadow could do nothing but turn away.


	6. The Alley of the Damned prt 2

Here is the second part, as always feel free to leave any comments or reviews. Enjoy! -Anne

"What's your name again- little kraut kid?" a half drunken teenager asked, Robert could be especially annoying when he was drunk.

He knew Shadow's name, but intoxication had lost it, "Asshole," Shadow replied, "Call me a kraut again and I'll kick your ass back to your mother."

"Speak English, kraut!" Robert cried.

"Stop, mate, little kid's really going to kick your ass," another boy said smoothly. His hair was a messy reddish color and freckles plagued his pale cheeks. He leaned back against a gray brick wall. They were sitting in an alley near the church. Shadow had to abandon the church during the daytime hours until it emptied.

Shadow continued as if he hadn't heard the red haired boy, "I am speaking English- idiot!" he barked.

"Robby, Robby, Robby," another blonde boy repeated while laughing. He looked more polished than the others, sitting up straight with his shirt tucked in.

"Momma's boy!" Robert yelled at the blonde as the blonde awkwardly took swig of an unknown liquid.

"Shadow," the blonde boy started, "kick his ass." Shadow didn't answer but got up and stalked towards Robert.

"Look- it's Hitler youth!" Robert declared and Shadow punched him in the stomach. He flew back off of the wooden box he was sitting on. As he bent over, vomit started coming out. "damn it!" he yelled, almost on the verge of tears.

"Thank you, about time," the red head said, showing his relief.

The blonde boy was in hysterics, his laugh like a hyena's, "Let an eight year put you in your place!"

"You're next, Percival!" Robert cried.

"What are you going to do- throw up on him?" Shadow said with sarcastic malice.

"I'll throw up on you!" Robert babbled.

"If you can catch him, fatty!" Percival chuckled.

"Momma's boy!"

"Fatty!"

"You're both like a couple of five-year olds," the red head said.

"Freckles!" Robert choked out.

"Oh… how harsh." Shadow said again sarcastic, "What are you going to do, Edward? He called you _'Freckles'_"

"Watch you beat him up….after he pisses you off again."

"I went easy on him the first time," Shadow admitted with a grin.

"What?" Percival gasped, "Why'd you go easy on him?"

"I'd kill him, if I didn't!"

"How do you know that?" Percival said pretentiously.

"Do you want me to demonstrate on you?" Shadow said with an evil tint to his voice.

"Why on me?"

"Because," Shadow was on the verge of laughing, "you're a momma's boy."

"At least he has a momma!" Robert countered.

"You should just shut up," Shadow snapped.

That night Shadow returned to the church as usual and sat in one of the wooden pews. He had been lucky previously as there had been only two bomb raids and they had not damaged the church. Shadow wondered how long it would be until his luck would run out, though. He let his head fall back and it hit against the back of the pew. In front of him, the Christ looked down indignantly on him.

Shadow couldn't help but look up at the cross every few seconds as he could feel the sculpture's gaze on him. He wondered what he had done to deserve this guilty feeling forming in his stomach. Each time he remembered some obscure sin which he had committed his thoughts came back to why he was alone and why he was on the streets. If Scarlett was here, if she hadn't left then none of this would be a problem. He scowled and propped his feet up, thinking further about his abandonment until he was finally able to fall asleep.

Another couple of weeks passed by. Robert, Percival and Edward came daily. Their conversations usually consisted of making fun of each other, and Shadow usually had to threaten Robert with some sort of violence while the other two watched contentedly.

That day was fairly silent though. Robert had his flask glued to his hand as usual. "My mum says since we're almost to summer break that I have-ta get a job." Through slurs he made an attempt at a laugh, "If I don't make enough money, perhaps I could live with you, Shadow."

"I don't think so," Shadow replied.

"So, I guess I'm gonna be gettin' a job soon."

"Are you ever going to be around anymore?" Percival asked, his eyes widening.

"Not as much…" Robert groaned. "Shadow, how do you survive out on the streets- all by yourself?"

"I just do," Shadow simply answered.

"How do you buy food?" Robert asked, clearly concerned for once.

Shadow looked up at him, "I don't_ buy_ anything."

"Then what do you do?" Percival asked.

"He steals, you idiots!" Edward snapped.

"You actually break the law?" Percival said with surprise and horror.

"Honestly, what did you think I did: wave my hand and make everything I need appear?" Shadow was silent for a second then finished, "of course I steal. I steal everything."

"Has it always been that way- I mean, you stealing and being on the streets?" Robert asked.

"No." Shadow didn't elaborate.

"Okay….so why don't you go back?" Robert asked as if it was an obvious solution to Shadow's problems.

"It was worse there."

"What was…_there_?" Percival looked around as if listening to a horror story.

"Nothing."

"Well, tell us!" Percival snapped.

"There was nothing!" Edward said for Shadow.

"Can't we change the subject?" Shadow asked.

"Nope," Percival said, "We've all told you all about us. It's only fair"

"We know you were created in a lab or something like that," Robert reminded him.

Shadow rolled his red eyes, might as well tell them, "I used to have a sister. You know that we were born in Berlin. She's six years older than me, but she was sent to the military last December…" Shadow took a breath and continued, trying to think of ways to shorten his explanation, "Robotnik, the scientist, left with her, and this other scientist was supposed to look after me or whatever. And so…I ran away in March."

"Why?" Percival asked in his whiny hyena-like voice.

"Because, I hate him and he hates me."

"That can't be the only reason!" Percival countered.

"I don't think he wants to tell you two," Edward said and shook his head.

"So, why hasn't your sister come for you?" Robert asked sheepishly.

Shadow looked up, expressionless, "I imagine she can't."

"Don't worry, though," Robert said with an unusual air of respect, "I wish my dad would come back too. But they're making sure that nothing bad happens to the world." He smiled optimistically and leaned back, eyes closed with his fingers entwined behind his head.

"Perhaps we won't have to worry about a war much longer," Edward started and held up a newspaper. On the front page was a photo of a hedgehog standing with a group of British troops standing in a desert area. "They've made amazing ground against the Germans and the Italians with this hedgehog."

"Oh yes, him. They've already captured Tobruk!" Percival said matter-of-factly, "Do you know him?" he asked, turning toward Shadow.

"I've heard of him," Shadow answered shortly.

"Maybe he'll end the war early," Robert commented, eyes still leisurely closed.

"I guess we'll see…" Edward said and folded the newspaper.


	7. The Alley of the Damned prt 3

As always, please comment and enjoy! -Anne

Just a few days later Robert, as he had predicted, was not there. Edward was there though, his stance and stride was nonchalant as usual, with Percival following closely behind, nipping at Edward's heels.

Edward just nodded towards Shadow as a hello. "Robert finally found a job," Edward finally said after a few minutes of silence. They were all seated in their usual places, Edward up against the wall, Percival sitting straight up on a box and Shadow slumped up against the wall on his crate. No one replied, no one asked what job he had started.

Percival looked around anxiously, the silence wracking his nerves. He opened his mouth as if about to say something then closed it again and looked down at his feet. All the while Edward watched Percival, eyebrows raised, "Go ahead, then, what were you going to say?"

"Nothing…" Percival muttered, sweeping some dust off his knee, "It's just a little quiet is all."

"Peaceful if you ask me," Shadow commented.

Again, Percival opened his mouth, but Edward had already begun to speak. "I almost forget," he said and opened up the flap on his canvas backpack, "I picked this up in front of the post office." Edward then handed Shadow a folded newspaper.

"Thanks," Shadow said and took the newspaper. He let it drop down so he could see the entire first page and examined it. In the top left hand corner was a picture of the other hedgehog. The headline read, "_Flash the Hedgehog does it Again!_"

"It seems like they're writing something about him every damn day," Edward said airily, "What do you think of this new arrival?"

"You know what I heard?" Percival interjected, "That he's from a different planet! Where everyone is anthropomorphic like him! Have you heard of this planet, Shadow?"

"Yes." Shadow answered and raised the newspaper so that it blocked his line of sight.

"Oh you should try to go there, perhaps you could live out a normal life," Percival suggested.

"_Blasting through the German lines, Flash the Hedgehog has given the Axis powers something to really fear. British forces hope to recapture El Alamein months earlier than formerly expected._" Shadow read, his voice tinged with disdain. "I don't trust him," he finished and lowered the paper.

"Why's that?" Edward asked, "With him, the war will be finished within a year. Your sister can come back."

"I don't think it's so simple," Shadow grumbled.

"Hmm…" Percival said and leaned toward Shadow, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a bit jealous of this Flash character!"

"That's ridiculous," he sneered.

"Not really if you think about it," Percival mused, "I mean, he comes to this planet busts through some tanks and he's the hero of the Allied forces, while your sister's probably stuck with nurse duty and sitting with the two of us here."

Shadow looked to Edward to say something in retaliation, but he remained silent. "I requested to join Scarlett in training soon after she left, but I was turned down. That's beside the point, though," Shadow continued, "Why would he involve himself with this? He has absolutely no reason; there must be something else he's looking for…"

"Perhaps he's just doing what he thinks is right regardless of whether it benefits him!" Percival said, indignantly turning his nose up.

"No one does that, he's after something," Shadow insisted.

"Well Edward- do you think Flash the Hedgehog has some ulterior motive?"

"Honestly, I don't particularly care why he's ending the war, so long as he ends it," Edward said nonchalantly.

Percival scoffed and crossed his arms, "So neither of you believe in heroes? You both just think everyone is out for their own ends?" His lip curled up in disgust, "I'm disappointed. How are we ever supposed to have faith in humanity with an outlook like that?"

"Wait-wait-wait," Edward said and held up his hand, "I never said anything about Flash being honest or not, I just said I want the war over and done with. Don't involve me with in this."

"Really, Edward? You are only concerned with the end and not the means? I'm disappointed. How are we ever supposed to have faith in humanity with an outlook like that?" Shadow said mockingly.

Edward laughed but Percival's sneer only became more pronounced, "You're hopeless, Shadow." Percival stood up and gathered his belongings, "I think it's about time I got going. Mother wants me to go to the store for her." He then sauntered out of the alley, his wide, flat nose still pointed up.

July-

It was an early Sunday morning, and the streets were still empty. Shadow had just left the church before the priests arrived for mass. The sun had just risen and dew still covered all the benches and street lamps. He yawned and kicked a stray rock out of his way then continued to wander. He looked down at Scarlett's rosary around his wrist and stopped for a moment. He had almost forgotten he had it. Maybe she did care about him, Shadow thought. Otherwise, why would she have left him her rosary?

The thought that she might be dead crossed his mind. His heart seemed to stop. That would be an explanation to why he hadn't heard from her. Every time he thought of the last time he saw her, the vaguer it became. He could remember her speaking, but now couldn't remember the words or her voice. Shadow tried to remember what her voice sounded like, but failed.

Her name sounded strange as he repeated it in his head. He decided to run back to the protection of the alley. Suddenly, he whipped himself around and ran. Now that he was aware of the rosary, he could feel it burning against his wrist. Finally, he came to the alley, unusually out of breath. Shadow went to the very back of the alley, and slid down so that he was seated.

He jumbled with his glove, trying to find the rosary. At last he found the small cross charm. Clenching the charm in his fist, Shadow gave a sigh of relief and let his head hit the back of the brick wall. He stared at the dull silver cross and tried to conjure up memories of his sister. He remembered walking past her room and seeing her knelling against her bed, eyes closed, holding the rosary up toward heaven. The scene of her room vanished, and the alley came back.. The heavy air that filled the area weighed down on him.

Percival and Edward, came as usual. Shadow only slightly recognized their presence, his thoughts still stuck on his sister. Then Percival's bright voice jerked him awake, "Robert is getting off early today!"

"So he'll be here in awhile," Edward added.

Edward sat down near Shadow, his chin placed miserably and his knees which he held tightly to his chest. Shadow heard him sniffle, holding back a sneeze. "Edward's sick," Percival clarified.

"I figured," Shadow said, glancing over at the pitiful looking teenager.

Percival then continued to babble on about school and a teacher who had unjustly punished him with a ruler. Shadow turned his attention away while Edward sneezed and coughed, his eyes becoming bloodshot and his nose an irritated red.

"HEY ALL!" Robert boomed while grinning, he waited for a response, but only received Percival's usual greeting. Robert frowned, dissatisfied, "What's with you lot?"

"Tired," Edward grumbled.

"And sick!" Percival added with inappropriate exuberance.

"And sick?" Robert was clearly awake and well, "who's sick?"

"Edward," Shadow answered dully.

"Well, you two are sun shines as usual," Robert commented with a laugh.

"Melancholy is more like it!" Percival said disapprovingly, "What _has_ happened with you two!"

"I'm _sick_," Edward answered, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

"Alright, the one day I'm off," Robert said with playful self pity.

"Won't you drop it?" Shadow muttered. .

"Oh Shads," Robert started while Shadow took a moment to shudder at his new nick name, "Cheer up! I've brought with me, the best damn stuff on earth," Robert said and pulled an unlabeled bottle out of a torn backpack.

Percival and Robert had both left, and the sun had long since gone down. "Are you not going home?" Shadow finally asked after a long silence.

"Not tonight." He answered.

Shadow looked at Edward for a clue whether or not to press the issue. He seemed perfectly calm, so Shadow continued, "Why not?"

"No reason to go back anymore," Edward said and took a breath, "my aunt left and I'm staying there alone with my dad."

Shadow thought for a moment of how to put what he was trying to say without being too blunt, "Isn't your dad a…."

"A drunk? Yeah," Edward replied, feigning an uncaring attitude, "It's nothing new, though."

"So, are you ever going home?"

"Don't think so. I have everything I need in my book bag. Plus, I managed to steal some pounds from my aunt and my dad's stash."

"Nice," Shadow said and grinned at the little bit of comic relief, "But couldn't you wait until you weren't sick anymore?"

Edward smiled for the first time Shadow could remember, "It's not that bad. If I can get my ass to school then I'm fine."

"At least," Shadow said, and he could feel the cool cross against his arm. "What time is it?"

"'Bout eight thirty," Edward said, looking at his watch.

"Only?"

"Yup- still early."

"I'm starving," Edward said, going back to his usual short answers.

"C'mon, let's go and get something," Shadow said, "I haven't eaten much today."

"Guess we should save the money we have…."

"Exactly," Shadow agreed.

They went down the sidewalk as Shadow looked from window to window, choosing where he would strike. "You want to know a secret?" Shadow started, deciding that now was the best time to show Edward his emerald.

"Sure, what?" Edward asked with slight curiosity.

Shadow reached into his pocket on the inside of his jacket, "This," he said secretly. In his hand was a glowing, black emerald.

Edward leaned in, in disbelief, "What the hell is that? Why haven't you sold it? You could get a fortune for a jewel that size!" he kept his voice low.

"Sell this?" Shadow said, "never- you'll see why it's more valuable if _I_ have it. You want something from the deli there?" Shadow asked, planning to show Edward that way.

"Alright, yes, let's stay on course."

"_Chaos control,_" Shadow mumbled inaudibly. He disappeared with a slight flash. Edward instinctively jumped back. In just a moment's time, Shadow was back. He tucked the emerald back into his pocket. In his other hand was a brown paper sack.

Edward took the sack in awe and looked inside. "Brilliant!" he admitted, "how did you do that?"

"The emerald. It's a chaos emerald."

"So it makes you teleport?"

"It can, or I can just go really fast. Either way," Shadow shrugged, "Now let's get out of here before they notice." They walked off, trying to remain inconspicuous.

Still, they both occasionally looked back to make sure that no one was coming after them. "I think we're in the clear," Edward said and Shadow nodded in agreement. Edward reached into the sack and grabbed two of the sandwiches, and gave one to Shadow and kept the other for himself.


	8. The Alley of the Damned prt 4

Sorry for such the long wait, I've been really sick. Anyways, this is a super long chapter to make up for all the down time! As always, leave comments and enjoy!

-Anne

The summer months had brought with them an oppressing heat only relieved by the occasional rain storm. In the alley Edward coughed again as he had never quite recovered from his cold. He did not really seem to acknowledge his illness, though, but instead pretended to be perfectly well. Shadow knew that this was only his stubbornness, though.

Percival was sitting awkwardly across from Edward and Shadow. He couldn't understand the short one word conversations between them and would look at them and cry out, "what? What did you just say?"

They would then reply coolly, "I didn't say anything." Then they would glance at each other and Percival would miss another conversation. "So…Robert's doing fine at work," Percival said shakily.

"Yes, we saw him yesterday," Edward said, his voice was rough and weak.

"My mum says that the war might end next year!".

"My ass," Edward said, "Didn't she say that last year?"

"Just trying to have some sort of conversation," Percival said indignantly, "but you two are just intent on being a couple of wet towels!" Shadow just shrugged. "I liked you two better when you were drunk!"

"No, you like Robert when he's drunk because I get pissed off at him when I'm drunk too!" Shadow said.

"Either way it's much more entertaining," Percival mumbled and looked away.

Robert's appearances were especially memorable; they were so few and so full of stories for the dreary alley. "You know who I saw today?" he scanned everyone in the alley. His charisma was evident as he examined each of their expressions, "I saw that hedgehog that's been running around!" Shadow rolled his eyes..

"Isn't he your buddy, Shads?" Robert said with a laugh.

His red eyes shot towards Robert, "No," he said darkly.

"Oh, take it easy. I think you should race him," Robert said daringly. Shadow crossed his arms, his expression still stern.

"I think you should ask him out, Robert, since you're so in love with him," Edward said, grinning at his own joke. Percival snorted a laugh. Edward glanced over at Percival and shook his head, as if to tell him that he wasn't allowed to laugh.

"Why don't you, Edward. Then you, Shads and him can all be one big, happy family!" Robert laughed.

"Well, I think he seems like a good guy," Percival said, always the optimist. Shadow stayed silent, indignant. "He's just a hedgehog trying to find his way home."

"Where is his home?" Edward asked, honestly not expecting an answer.

"I heard," Robert started, seeing his chance to gain the spotlight again, "that he's from a distant planet in another _universe! _I heard it's paradise- no wars, no discrimination, no poverty even!"

"I doubt that," Shadow said.

"Maybe he's an angel! And this planet is heaven!" Percival continued.

"Or maybe he's just lying," Shadow said with a critical tone.

"Without conflict, there can't be progress, improvements," Edward mused with his calm, thoughtful voice. "I'd rather have the conflict with something better for tomorrow."

"You would say that _now_?" Percival said.

"But people are being killed! Thousands, millions in the last war! What did we get out of that- but more war! I'll tell you, we got a depression, we got kids without fathers, wives whose husbands died for just another war to start!" Robert's voice became louder and fiercer.

"Then there has to be an end!" Percival cried.

"Don't you understand what I'm saying? The kid's right- there will never be an end! I'd rather have that paradise than this hell!" he took a deep breath and said "Anyways, this is a dark subject, and I got booze." He took out his bottle, wrapped in a wrinkled, brown paper bag. He took a large gulp and slumped back.

"Not the time," Edward grumbled.

"It's always the right time. This stuff is like medicine- medicine for the soul!"

"Hmph! It dehydrates you and destroys your liver, doesn't sound much like medicine to me!" Percival said.

"It's a metaphor, dumbass."

"You don't ever treat it like one," Edward commented dryly.

"-I-don't-care-" Robert replied annunciating every word. Edward looked on disapprovingly, recognizing someone he thought he'd left behind.

"It's your life," Shadow said indifferently.

"That's right- so all of you, mind your own damn business!" Robert snapped and took an aggressive gulp.

Later that evening rain had set in to cool the thick summer heat. The rain, though, had not waited for nighttime when Edward and Shadow could retreat to the church. Edward held a newspaper over his as they walked down the sidewalk.

"I know a place we could stay," Shadow said and quickened his pace.

"Where're we going," Edward said in an uninterested monotone.

"I know this place, it's an attic above a bakery. I stayed there a couple of times when the priests had locked the back door," Each step they took, a splash followed, their footsteps were almost exactly in time with each other.

"Does anybody live there?"

"No- it's just storage space. We'll be fine," Shadow assured.

"Alright," Edward nodded and followed Shadow's lead. Their vision was blurred by the thickening rain. Both were happy that it was almost July and the rain was only cool and not freezing. Shadow could feel his jacket becoming heavier from the water it soaked up.

"Here it is," Shadow said and stopped in the middle of the empty, gray sidewalk. The red brick building looked innocent enough. There was a barely open window on the second floor. "I'll go in and open the front door," Shadow said and jumped up onto the window ledge. "be right back."

He forced the window open just enough so he could slip in. The attic was filled with brown boxes. Packages of yeast and flour were stacked on top of each other. There was just enough moonlight to see the labels and the floor. Shadow easily found his way to the door and the stairwell. The stairwell was pitch black, but he could feel his way downstairs with little effort.

The lock opened easily from the inside of the bakery. He pushed the door open and Edward quickly came in. "Thanks," he said, "Why don't we stay here all the time."

"I used to steal from here and the baker got suspicious so can't come here as often….he won't notice for tonight though."

"Hm…" Edward replied, "have a biscuit." He threw a biscuit to Shadow. He nodded in thanks. "There any matches around here?" Edward started to search through the drawers. "Ah- here they are," Edward said, "And look what else." He held up a pack of cigarettes. "You want one?"

"Nah," Shadow said and Edward shrugged. With one cigarette in his mouth, Edward struck one of the matches. As Edward took a long, slow drag, Shadow looked up at the clock, it was seven. Shadow thought of how much he had stolen not only from this bakery but from countless other stores. He knew Scarlett wouldn't approve. He shrugged it off, remembering how Scarlett had forgotten him. So maybe, she wouldn't disapprove.

He wondered why he even bothered to keep the rosary, why hadn't he just left it at the research base? He unintentionally slumped down in one of the wire chairs. A pang of guilt set in when he realized how long it had been since he had thought about Scarlett. His thoughts eventually reverted to German as he remembered Scarlett. "What are you thinking about?" Edward asked, not showing too much curiosity, so Shadow wouldn't feel compelled to tell him.

He had to translate the sentence and change his state of thinking again, "My sister."

"Oh?" Edward was surprised- Shadow never talked about his sister, he couldn't even remember her name.

"She wouldn't approve of this."

"Of what exactly?"

"Everything- breaking in here, running away, stealing, whatever- she would disapprove."

"It can't be helped," Edward reasoned, "It's not as if we're stealing because we're greedy or trying to cause damage. We steal, we break the law because if we didn't we'd starve or freeze to death out there!" He paused, "So, don't worry about it."

"Guess so…Just hope she doesn't find out…." He didn't want Scarlett angry with him. He thought about Biblical stories- Scarlett would like that.

Up in the attic, Shadow was awakened by a slam and some yelling. He noticed Edward was still asleep. "Edward!" he snapped and shook his shoulder. The morning sun trickled through the after rain clouds. Boxes and bags shielded them from the light.

"Huh…?"

"We have to leave- now!" Shadow said urgently, "I think he knows we're here!"

"Oh shit!" Edward growled and scrambled to get up, "How're we going to get out?"

Shadow whipped out his chaos emerald and quietly snapped, "Hold on." Edward grabbed his arm. "_Chaos Control!_" Out of the corner of his eye, Shadow saw the baker, an angry looking lanky man with a receding hair line and baggy clothes. _"Damn hedgehog!"_ Were the only words Shadow could hear him say as he and Edward disappeared from the attic and out into the sunlight.

London flashed before them. Shadow was starting to have trouble focusing on retaining chaos control. He bit the inside of his cheek, his eyes distressed. The words _damn hedgehog_ ran through his head. The alley was nearing and Shadow knew he had to at least make it out of the sunlight.

Shadow stopped in one of the puddles of the alley and let out a breath of only half of his worries. "That was a bit close," Edward said off-handedly.

"I don't think I'm safe yet though." He dreaded the thought of the research base. Shadow grimaced and thought of the torment of his dignity being crushed further. He held the beads of Scarlett's rosary in his hand. They felt so unfamiliar compared the feeling of his pocket knife flipping in and out.

For the rest of the day, the rosary was concealed in his hand. No one could see it between his small, gloved hands. He was visibly nervous. His expression was that of an eight year old trying to cover up the fear of imprisonment.

The night seemed to bring some sense of security. Still his eyes were peeled open. Nothing came and he finally began to breathe again. He closed his red eyes and felt somewhat more relaxed. With his eyes closed he could feel the light drizzle left over from the previous night's rain. "_Shadow! Shadow the Hedgehog!_" It took him a few moments to realize his own name. Shadow jumped up and his eyes searched for any movement. "We're here to help!" the voice called. Shadow told himself to just avoid the light.

"Shadow!" a low voice whispered, "I'll cover for you- just run!"

Instinctively, Shadow obeyed Edward. He ran. First on the streets, dodging between the people who stared at the commotion. He leaped up. On top of the buildings- Shadow was jumping from one to another. The charm of the rosary flew back in the wind. "_There!_" Shadow heard another voice yell. It didn't faze Shadow- he continued running on the rooftops, nothing guiding him and nothing was stopping him.

The wind wrapped around him. Shadow had never realized his speed without his emerald. Where was his emerald? Did he have time to bring it out, focus himself and use it? He tuned out the world, his mind raced. He considered the irony of literally running from his problems.

Nothing was processing, not the rain that was starting to fall again, not the yells from below and not the sight of the river. Then he had to think. The line of buildings had ended. He suddenly stopped at the edge of the last building. The river was in front of him. Shadow had to stop and remember why he was running.

"Shadow, you need to come with me." A teenage boy's voice said confidently.

Shadow barely turned his head, just enough to see another hedgehog behind him. He said nothing. "Come on, now," Flash said, "Don't want to stir up any trouble."

"You're the one who chased after me," Shadow said darkly, listening intently for any movement from him.

"Dr. Freemont's been looking all over the place for you," his tone became darker.

"I'm not going."

"Okay, now. C'mon, kid, you don't belong out here. You're causing more trouble than you're worth."

Shadow turned his entire body around. How dare he chase after him just to drag him back to the base! How dare he tell him what to do! His voice became harsh, "Shouldn't you be doing something a little bit more important than wasting your time coming after me?"

"Don't get testy," Flash chided.

"You're going to take me back to that damn research facility," He paused for just a moment, "There's no way in hell I'm going back there."

"Dr. Freemont's a reasonable, kind man!"

"Stay out of this! You have no idea what you're doing," Shadow snapped.

"You little brat, you spoiled little brat- hand over the emerald. You're coming with me."

"My emerald?" Shadow said with a slight smile, "So this is why you're really here?" He casually held up his black emerald.

"Hand it over," Flash said and slowly took a step toward him.

"No way. Wiedersehen," Shadow gripped his emerald tighter, "_Chaos Control_." He then disappeared, going back towards the alley, to find Edward. He was leaving London behind.

Edward was alone in the alley, no cops, no crazed baker and no Flash. "They didn't come after you," Shadow commented.

Edward shook his head and said, "No."

"I'm leaving England."

"Where're you going?"

"I don't know."

Edward nodded with an indifferent look on his face, "Should I come?"

"If you want to."

"I want to. There's nothing left for me here."

"There's nothing here for me either," Shadow agreed

"When do we leave?"

"Are you ready to leave now?"

"Whenever you are, mate, whenever you are." Edward replied.

"Should we say goodbye- to the others I mean," Shadow said.

"Yes- we should," Edward decided.


	9. The Alley of the Damned prt 5

Happy belated St. Patrick's Day! In honor of St. Patrick's Day, this chapter (coincidentally) takes place in Ireland! So, enjoy and I always love receiving comments! –Anne.

The following days Shadow and Edward drifted from place to place as Flash followed behind if they became too conspicuous. At the moment they were out in the middle of an emerald green field in rural Ireland. The grass was tall compared to Shadow. It came up to his waist, whereas the grass only approached Edward's knees. He was quickly becoming frustrated at being so short compared to humans.

They tromped through the grass and up a hill to a thinner patch of grass. At the very top, Shadow saw that they were actually by the coast. Below him a cliff dropped down sharply to the ocean. He looked around, the empty blue sky, the tall grass waving to the wind. "I'm tired," He laid down in the shorter pale green grass. The ocean in front of him seemed to go on forever. Shadow guessed from the position of the sun that they were facing east, toward England.

Edward could hear the sounds of the grass blades as they rustled. A sharp wind rushed by him and down his throat. He felt a cough rise up in his throat, but suppressed it. He grumbled to himself and tried to enjoy the moment of race.

"What's the date?" Shadow asked.

"July sixteenth," Edward answered.

Shadow was contemplative, silent, "It's my birthday...I'm nine"

"You have a birthday?"

"Well I had to have been born sometime."

"Oh, well, happy birthday."

"Thanks," Shadow then fell silent again.

Then they sat on the top of a roof in the town near the field. They would stay there until the town's residents took too much notice of their presence. The town below them was made up of small one or two story stone buildings. The blue sky that had hung over the town was slowly turning to gray as storm clouds approached.

"And it was so nice here before," Shadow muttered.

Edward gave a short laugh, "We weren't here."

Shadow grinned and added, "We're cursed aren't we?"

"Should we leave?"

"No, no need to just yet," Shadow replied, his half-smile disappearing. He leaned back on his wrists and enjoyed the warming sun while it stayed.

"When are you planning on going back to London?" Edward asked.

"I don't know, I can take you back when you want."

"No, that's not what I meant."

"I imagine I'll go back once my sister is there."

"Isn't Scarlett in the Pacific though?"

Shadow glanced up at him with a confused expression, "How did you know her name?"

Edward furrowed his brow, "You told me?"

"Really?" Shadow honestly couldn't remember, but nodded anyways as if he did. He continued to draw the memory out.

"You never talk about your sister much….or anyone else from before," _Before_: the word meaning before they ran away..

"There's not much to say," Shadow lied and looked away.

"Sorry. That was out of place," Edward said, sensing Shadow's reluctance.

"No, it's alright. Just don't see much reason to talk about any of it."

Where was Maria anyways? He wondered what ARK was like. He asked himself where the doctor had gone and if Scarlett was still with him. He lightly shook his wrist, just to feel the rosary. "What do you want to know about her?" Shadow asked.

"I don't know- just interested. I mean, it's not every day that there're hedgehogs running around."

"Well…We are from Berlin." The gray wall of clouds neared but Shadow still continued, "We moved to London in '39 and Scarlett was sent to war last December. She's fifteen now. Dr. Robotnik went with her to the U.S.- right after Pearl Harbor was bombed. Haven't heard from her since."

"Fifteen?"

"Yes."

"Do you miss her."

"I don't know."

"Is there anyone you miss from before?" he then quickly added, "If you don't mind my asking."

"I don't mind…I haven't really thought about it. I try not to."

"There was no one else?"

Shadow immediately thought of Maria. All he could remember of her was her blonde hair and her annoyingly optimistic voice. "No".

Edward realized his cue to stop. They were then silent, preserving the moment while watching the oncoming rain.

September: In another small Irish town the oncoming winter made itself more present with the cool autumn winds. Everywhere they went, there were whispers and suspicious glances. Neither could quite hear what was being said, but Shadow had a vague idea. Each time he saw someone turn away and quietly say something, he became more anxious. Edward had suggested leaving Ireland but Shadow was not sure that he could safely teleport them off the island. Transporting to Ireland had been a mistake. Still, Edward's anxiety could not match Shadow's.

"Well, whatever the hell it is, it doesn't seem to be a threat," Edward said and leaned back against the shop wall behind them. That was their usual place in this new town, very similar to that of London, except much smaller.

About an hour later, people started to migrate past them towards the center of the town. The children skipped happily alongside their parents, gossiping happily. "Should we go find out what's going on?" Edward suggested.

"Do we have anything else better to do?" was Shadow's answer. They got up and followed the herd.

People gathered around the fountain, Shadow, though, couldn't see through the hoards of bodies though. The size of the town seemed to have doubled with the commotion. They were in the very back of the crowd filled with adults in awe and children jumping up to see what was on the fountain.

Above the rabble of a thousand different voices, a voice rang out. Shadow focused his ear and tried to distinguish any of the words. Then, Shadow recognized the voice. He stopped breathing and listened harder, was it really who he thought it was? How could he know he was here? They had only been in this town for two days! "C'mon," Shadow said and led Edward around the crowd up onto the top of a building so to confirm his belief.

Edward's mouth dropped slightly. "What is _he_ doing here?" Shadow growled to himself. The setting sun was still shining, but Shadow could see the outline of Flash. His fist started to glow with the power from his emerald.

For a split second, Flash glanced towards him. A victorious smile spread across his face and his eyes never reverted back to the crowd.

"I think I should go," Shadow said.

"I'll meet you outside town, to the north."

Shadow nodded then took off, he jumped down to the back of the building and began to run, his feet propelling him on the gray cobblestone. He knew that Flash could not be too far behind. The darkness was quickly coming as was the winter temperature. Shadow could feel cold wind wrap around him as he planned out his course to go meet Edward. He would first have to give Edward some time to get there and also lose Flash. He would have to wait for chaos control. Stress swallowed him as he started to anticipate having to gain the focus that chaos control required.

He started to shake, something that hadn't happened the first time he had encountered Flash. "Dammit," Shadow cried, keeping his voice down.

He could feel Flash's presence behind him but wasn't sure how long he could keep up. He decided to keep going south, to keep Flash away from Edward. He could imagine Flash's arrogant smile after managing to catch a nine-year old. Shadow grimaced at the thought of being forced back to the base because of him.

The streets and small brick buildings were quickly coming to an end and the countryside was nearing. The tall grass and weeds were growing taller as Shadow now had to push it all out of his way.

Something knocked him to the ground. Shadow cursed something unknown. He pushed himself and prepared himself to fight. He faced Flash and reached inside his jacket for the emerald, but he knew that Edward wasn't there yet. He needed more time and Flash might find him before Edward did.

"Chaos Spear," Shadow said and energy beams rushed violently at Flash. He jumped back in surprise and came at Shadow. A punch came towards him and Shadow held up his hand to block it. The force of the punch sent the child back, forcing him to jump away.

Everything else was a blur. As the sun set, Shadow could see less and less as the fight continued. One hit to the stomach sent him flying a few feet. Flash was too strong, too old for Shadow to handle. He knew that he was going to lose if he didn't get away quickly, Shadow reached for the black emerald inside his jacket.

"Chaos Control!" nothing, Shadow panicked, "_Chaos Control!_" Still nothing happened. He couldn't focus and had taken a few more punches for his effort. Flash grabbed Shadow's neck and held him up as Shadow gasped for breath. He then snatched the emerald from Shadow.

"Finally," he sneered, wiping some blood from the corner of his mouth, "The chaos emerald. Thanks, Shadow…or should I say danke?" He grumbled irritable at the trouble he had to go through. "You gave more of a fight than I expected from some kid who hasn't even reached ten yet."

"Ass hole." Shadow grumbled.

Flash grinned and held up Shadow's emerald, "Doesn't matter, just one more emerald to go and I can finally leave this shit hole," Flash said with a sarcastic smile. Before Flash threw his final punch, Shadow could see Edward. How had he found him? Had they really been fighting for that long? Was he actually standing there?

He fell to the ground and then nothing else.


	10. The Alley of the Damned prt 6

Sorry this has taken so long, I've been having problems editing my story (error pages popping up and making life difficult) and so on. It's been extremely frustrating. Almost done with this chapter, though! Just one more post after this. Anyways, I have really appreciated all the awesome reviews, so thank you all! -Anne

In the Pacific, Scarlett sat at a makeshift wooden desk in a hospital tent. She was the only one awake. Outside a commander barked orders and distant gunfire could be heard. For the moment there was nothing to do but sit and wait for a call for help. Then she would go outside and, using her emerald, go to the injured soldier's side and transport him back. She leaned forward and rested her forehead in her hands. There had been a battle the past night and no one had slept.

Outside there was a crash of tree limbs and then a loud thump. Scarlett jerked up and looked around, listening for more. There was a flurry of voices, but they did not sound panicked, but rather relieved or excited. She sighed and placed her head back in her hands, probably more supplies or help. Just as she was about to drift off into a comforting sleep, she heard a voice call out "hedgehog!" Again, she jerked her head up. Standing in the entrance to the tent was a young private. "Flash is here! He said he wants to see you," he announced and then turned away.

Flash? Why was he here? Scarlett considered the possibility that he was inviting her to leave Guadalcanal and go actually fight someplace else. She stood up and stretched her arms back as her shoulder blade popped. Hopefully she did not look too awful. Scarlett pulled back the flap of the tent and walked over to Flash. She had never seen him before in person, but only in the black and white pictures in the newspapers. He had messy blue fur and green eyes but overall looked dirty and scruffy, most likely from the crash she had head just before he had arrived.

As she stopped in front of him, she tried to think of something to say, but couldn't quite read the expression on his face. He did not seem particularly happy to see her, but his face didn't show any anger either. After an awkward couple of seconds of silence, Flash relieved the tension. "Come on, let's go someplace quieter," he suggested and turned around and walked into the jungle.

She followed him without question, stepping delicately over piles of leaves and branches. As they walked, he chatted lightly about the differences between the Pacific and the desert in North Africa. Scarlett only listened halfway while waiting for him to just say why he was there. After he had helped her step over a fallen tree, Scarlett stopped for a moment and looked back. She could no longer see or hear anything from the campsite. "I think we should stop here," she said and looked around for any sign of movement, whether it be Japanese or Allied.

"Yeah, I think this is a nice spot," Flash said and nodded.

Scarlett waited for Flash to continue but he only looked around at the wet, green surroundings. "So, why are you here?" she asked, trying to sound as polite as possible.

"Oh yeah. Have you heard from your brother lately?"

"Well…no," Scarlett said, "Why?"

"You haven't been in contact at all?" Flash pressed.

Scarlett crossed her arms, "I met you less than five minutes ago and already you're badgering me about things that are none of your concern!"

Flash held up a hand and shrugged, "Alright, just curious. It's just that I know why you haven't heard anything."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Well, he had run away. Then when I visited London, on a well deserved break from battling back German tanks, I hear all this commotion about a little black hedgehog running rampant. Stealing things, breaking into stores and so on," Scarlett adjusted her stance and allowed Flash to continue, "I couldn't let this continue, as you probably understand, so I tracked him down and he did something a little curious…" Flash paused and looked away for half a second before returning eye contact to Scarlett, "he performed chaos control with one emerald."

"That's not surprising," Scarlett interrupted, "I showed him how to."

"That's quite a feat for a little kid with just one emerald. You know I thought there were only seven chaos emeralds. Last I checked they were all back on my home planet and I don't seem to remember a black emerald."

"These are special," Scarlett said shortly.

"_These_? There's more than one?" Flash asked, his interest piqued.

"Well, yes. I have the other," Scarlett replied slowly.

"Perhaps you could show me, with your emerald, how to perform chaos control with these emeralds."

Scarlett smiled, "I don't see any reason why you would want to know. These emeralds are solely for _our_ use."

"Think about it, though. If you showed me how to use them I could take you back home with me. You can live a normal teenage life. You wouldn't have to worry about this war anymore, you could just escape," Flash said and put a hand on Scarlett's shoulder before she shrugged it off.

"These emeralds are unpredictable. You could end up destroying half the planet trying to transport yourself that far. Anyways, if there was any way off this planet I would have found it by now…believe me."

"You could destroy half the planet, just by accident?" Flash said, his jaw dropping, "I knew these things were powerful, but whoever has these has control over everything. The possibilities are endless…"

"Another reason why I'm not going to teach you anything!" Scarlett snapped, "Much less let you use my emerald."

"Well here's the thing," Flash said and took a couple of steps back, "I eventually tracked Shadow down. You see, he and this ginger kid had been running all over Ireland, trying to avoid me. Once I found him, the ginger was dead. I couldn't tell how he killed him, but with an emerald with this much energy, it all makes sense. I couldn't let him escape, but he wouldn't stop fighting. Unfortunately, he didn't make it."

"What? Are you telling me you killed him?" Scarlett said, her eyes narrowing.

"Yes. That is exactly what I'm telling you."

"I doubt that. You couldn't kill him. You couldn't even catch him to kill him!"

"Really?" Flash said and then pulled Shadow's black emerald out of his jacket pocket. Scarlett couldn't find any words as he held up the emerald. She looked for any imperfection, any clue that might tell her that the emerald he was holding was a fake. "Hand over your emerald before I have to take yours from you too."

Scarlett ignored his ultimatum, "Where is he?"

"It doesn't matter-he's dead," Flash said impatiently.

"You said he was in Ireland! Where?"

Flash thought for a moment and then said smoothly, "Give me your emerald and I'll tell you."

"You're insane," Scarlett said, "I'll find him myself!"

"You can't leave, I think that's called _absent without leave_, right?"

Scarlett didn't know what to say. She knew he was right, she couldn't legally leave. Without anything left to say, Scarlett held up her hand and her own pearly white emerald appeared. "How did you…?" Flash murmured before Scarlett tightened her grip on the emerald and slashed her hand through the air. White streaks flew toward Flash, but jumped barely managed to jump back before they hit him.

"Tell me where he is!" Scarlett yelled and took a step towards Flash. He glared over at Scarlett, black emerald still in hand. He extended his arm and the emerald out and held on to wrist with the other hand as the emerald shook violently. A shaky blast of black energy shot forth from the emerald. Scarlett held up her hand and swatted it back toward Flash before generating her own blast.

A wall of white light engulfed Flash and sent him flying back head first into a moss covered tree trunk. Scarlett waited until the light dissipated and looked over at the motionless figure. Slowly she walked over, bent down before him and picked up the black emerald which lay in his limp hand.

While examining the emerald, Scarlett hiccupped and gasped for breath. She questioned the worth of going to Ireland to search for Shadow. If he was already dead, what did it matter? She had to find his body, though. Even if she did leave, she would be back soon. She continued to reason with herself, giving herself an adequate excuse to abandon her duties in Guadalcanal, until, finally, with Shadow's emerald in her left hand and hers in her right, she held up her emerald and closed her eyes. With all of focus dedicated just to the emerald, just to arriving in Ireland, she mumbled, "Chaos Control".

Shadow groaned and opened his eyes. Through the darkness, the scene spun. The small, white stars above and the same tall, tan colored grass to which he had become so accustomed circled around him. A slight breeze brushed over him and he became acutely aware of the searing pain in his leg. Shadow slightly adjusted his leg, trying to find a comfortable position, but the throbbing continued. He looked around, his head throbbing, and remembered the last thing he saw before he passed out, "Edward, you there?"

No answer. Shadow feebly propped himself up and looked around further. He saw a figured lying motionless a few yards away. He slowly pulled himself closer, to see if he was right.

"Edward?" He softly said and pushed some grass away so he could see his face covered in dried blood. "Are- are you okay?" He reached down and held his hand over his face but did not feel any breath. Perhaps he was just breathing shallowly. Shadow then picked up Edward's wrist and pressed down two fingers and waited. After a few seconds and still no pulse, Shadow tried again on the other hand. Still nothing, but maybe he was just not searching in the correct areas. Maybe it was his dizziness, everything around him was still spinning. He tried his neck, a jutting pain shot through his leg as he adjusted his position but he ignored it. Finally Shadow gave up. He was dead.

Shadow rolled back over and stared up at the wavy night sky. His every sense seemed magnified, the blurry movement of the stars, the itchy grass and the pounding in his leg and head. The thought that Flash could very well return came to him, but he hadn't the slightest idea what how he could help himself. With the affirmation that there was nothing he could do, Shadow let himself drift back into unconsciousness.


	11. The Alley of the Damned prt 7

Once again, I apologize for the delay. It's been an insane few weeks. On the bright side, I rewrote this section while recovering from my own concussion! Anyways, this is the last part of this chapter. So enjoy and leave any thoughts in the reviews! Thanks, -Anne

A bright light blinded Shadow as he awoke. The frigid, sterile air of a hospital room surrounded him. Beside him he heard a rustling, someone moving toward him. The white light kept him from seeing who as his eyes adjusted. Without thinking he tried to prop himself up, only to have a stern hand push him back down.

"Don't sit up so quickly, you'll hurt your head," a voice said. Shadow recognized it but couldn't name to whom it belonged. "How are you feeling?" the voice pressed, somewhat urgently.

"Huh?" Shadow mumbled, he heard that something was being said to him, but he couldn't exactly comprehend what. He then heard the door open and another voice begin to speak. Shadow thought he could hear it asking about him.

Shadow slightly opened his mouth to reply, but the first voice beat him, "He's waking up," it said. He became irrationally angry at the first voice for speaking for him. He swatted his hand toward the voice and grumbled that he could speak.

"Shadow?" the first voice said and placed a hand on his forehead, "Hörst du mich?" _Do you hear me?_ Shadow recognized Scarlett's voice just as he was able to open his eyes to the blinding hospital room light.

"Ja," Shadow answered shortly.

"The police will want to know he's awake," the second voice, a young Irish nurse, said and then scurried off.

"Shadow," Scarlett said softly, "look at me. An officer from the Governing Unit of Nations is going to come in and ask you some questions about what happened." She stopped and waited for Shadow to acknowledge that he understood. "First, can you tell me?" she asked.

"I don't know…What are you talking about? A lot has happened," Shadow said, he felt too tired to tell in detail all that had happened just the day before, much less the previous months.

"Why were you in Ireland?" Scarlett pressed.

"He-uh-he found me in London. He wanted the emerald. I ran," Shadow said shortly.

"Then what happened when he found you?"

"I went south- of the town- he chased me and caught me. He took it-he took the" Shadow held up his hand, he had just said the word, but what was it? "The-the- he took the emerald." Shadow stopped and took a disjointed breath, as he lost his train of thought while trying to remember the word "emerald".

"Don't worry about that, I got it back. What happened once he caught you?"

"We fought and I lost," Shadow didn't want to go into too much detail about how head been beaten.

"What about the boy who was with you?"

"He went the other direction. We were supposed to meet up, but he came south. I don't know why…I thought we had agreed to meet back on the other end of town once I could use chaos control. I don't know why he went south. It makes no sense. I-" Scarlett interrupted him with a quick "Shh! Shh!"

"So he followed you and then what happened to him?"

Shadow thought back. What had happened? He couldn't remember anything other than confusion about why Edward was there. Finally, he remembered, "I don't know- I passed out."

"_So, while you were fighting Flash, the boy came and then you passed out?_" Scarlett confirmed in German. Shadow nodded, though he hadn't processed all that Scarlett had just said. A quick knock came and only a second later and tall, thick, graying man marched in. He wore a gray military uniform with the name "Sherman" embroidered on his breast. As he approached Shadow, he noticed exactly how large Sherman was. He stopped, crossed his arms behind his back and looked down on Shadow, his chin still raised.

"Is it possible to delay this a bit longer?" Scarlett pleaded quickly, "He has no idea what's going on and he's been babbling incessantly."

Sherman held up his hand and Scarlett immediately became silent. "Your commanding officer has been alerted of your location. Due to your status as an anthropomorphic creature with no official citizenship, GUN will see to your trial and sentencing, if that becomes necessary," he said in an official monotone. He waited for a long moment, but Scarlett remained silent and Shadow tried to piece together what Sherman had just said. "We must immediately get a statement as quickly as possible, however. So I must request that you leave, m'am." Slowly, Scarlett stood and up and followed the nurse who was standing nervously in the doorway outside.

Once they were alone, Sherman pulled up chair and seated himself. He took slow, long movements to adjust the chair, cross his arms across his chest and make himself comfortable. Then, he pulled a tape recorder out of his coat pocket and pressed a button. Two red lights blinked and finally, he looked directly at Shadow, "I am Commander Sherman of the Governing Unit of Nations. Are you coherent?"

Shadow waited for an answer before realizing that he had been asked the question, "uh-yes."

"State your name please," Sherman said.

"Uh-Shadow the Hedgehog."

"Very good then. I am now going to take your statement about what happened yesterday between you, Flash the Hedgehog and Edward Smithhart." Sherman waited patiently for Shadow to start, but after a few moments of silence, Sherman said patiently, "Can you tell me what happened yesterday?"

"Oh, yes. He was in the town square and he saw me on top of a building…"

"Excuse my interruption," Sherman said politely, "but why were you on top of a building?"

"Because I can. But I was on top of the building and then I started running. I was going south and Edward was supposed to go to the other side of town and we would meet later," Shadow continued.

"And why were you running?"

"Because he wanted my emerald," Shadow answered simply.

"What made you think he wanted your 'emerald'?" Sherman asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shadow thought for a moment, but drew a blank. He couldn't even remember the question exactly. The longer he waited, the more he forgot until he just looked back at the commander and asked "what?"

"Your emerald," Sherman prompted.

"He took it," Shadow said with a nod.

"Flash the Hedgehog?"

"Well yes, who else would take it?"

"Why did he take this emerald?" Sherman asked, his patience dwindling.

"I guess he wanted to use it?" Shadow replied, questioning every word he spoke.

"Use this emerald? As in sell it?"

"Maybe-probably not- I don't know."

Sherman sighed and shook his head, "Moving on now…what happened to Edward Smithhart?"

"When we were fighting, he showed up. I was knocked out and then when I woke up he was dead," Shadow said, pulling the memory out of the back of his mind.

"You and Flash the Hedgehog were fighting?"

"Yes…"

"And then the English boy-Smithhart came?"

"Yes and I then I lost consciousness."

"Is that all you have then?" Sherman asked.

Shadow tried to remember something else, but without any memory cues, he just said, "I think so."

"Very well then," Sherman said and stood up. He clicked a button on the recorder and stuffed it back into his pocket. With his chin still held high, he marched back out of the room. Outside, Shadow could hear him tell Scarlett she could return. She then stomped back inside and closed the door.

"_I cannot believe that_!" she shrieked, "_You are barely awake!_" She continued to mumble angrily under her breath. Scarlett plopped down in the chair that the commander had used and simultaneously crossed her arms and legs with a loud "hrmpf!"

"Where am I?" Shadow asked, wondering if he was still in Ireland or if he had been transferred somehow back to London.

"You're in Dublin," Scarlett said and massaged her temples, "How do you feel?"

"My head hurts," Shadow said dully.

"I'd imagine, you hit it pretty hard apparently."

"Do I have a concussion?"

"Oh Lord yes. You're going to have to watch it-your head- from now on. These concussions become progressively worse as you accumulate them," Scarlett said matter-of-factly.

"What else is wrong?" Shadow asked.

"What else hurts?"

"My head-my leg- everywhere else."

"Well the leg is broken, if you couldn't tell," Scarlett said, looking apprehensively at the sheet that covered Shadow's lower half.

"Broken? I mean- it hurt earlier. But broken? It doesn't _feel_ broken."

Scarlett laughed dryly, "Probably because of all the medications you're on. The doctors didn't know exactly how much to give a hedgehog your size, so I believe they gave you a bit too much. You slept through most of the day, you know. It's three in the afternoon."

"What?"

"Idiots…they could've killed you," She continued and brushed her hand over his forehead.

As he felt Scarlett's touch Shadow knew that he should be angry about something, but couldn't remember why. He thought for a moment, watching Scarlett, looking for any clues as to what could possibly cause him to be upset. Shadow continued to rack his brain for anything, but only gave himself a headache.

Once Scarlett began to speak, though, the memory finally came back to him, "I've missed you," she said quietly.

Shadow considered for a moment how to word his next question until he sputtered out, "Why didn't you ever write me?"

"I did a few times," Scarlett said softly, "But you never answered so I stopped."

"A few times? When?" Shadow pressed, still doubtful.

"I was sent almost immediately to the Pacific once my commander found out about my emerald. I got there in late January, early February. I wrote then."

"You couldn't find time before?"

Scarlett sat and considered her answer. "I wrote one in January, but it was in German, so they wouldn't send it because it couldn't be filtered properly. After that I didn't have time until I had already left basic training," she explained.

"Hm," Shadow grumbled and looked away.

"I'm sorry," Scarlett said earnestly, "I am. Were you good while I was gone?"

"Depends…"

Scarlett frowned, "Depends on what? Flash was saying that you were doing all sorts of illegal things-but I didn't believe him. Don't tell me my trust was misplaced."

"It depends on your definition of good," Shadow said carefully.

"Well you know very well what my definition of 'good' is."

"I might have stolen some things, but it wasn't as if it wasn't necessary. That psychopath Robotnik hired was starving me!" Shadow admitted, crossing his arms defensively.

"I doubt that," Scarlett said indignantly, "I'm extremely disappointed in you, Shadow."

"Maybe if you had written I would have behaved myself better," Shadow said, still defensive.

"This must be the concussion," Scarlett reasoned, "You're in such a fowl mood. If you think that I'm being harsh on you, wait until the doctor gets here. He's going to be furious, you know!"

"I don't care…" Shadow grumbled.

Scarlett sighed, "Well, it's good to see you anyways. It's just a shame that you're stuck in this hospital bed."


	12. Recovery prt 1

Sorry but I've been rewriting all of this and most of the past chapter, so it's taking me longer to update. Anyways, here's the first chapter of part two, so leave any comments, criticisms, etc. Thanks! Anne

Part Two: Purgatory

1942: Recovery

The doctor continued to screech at him. Shadow wasn't listening, however, choosing to instead focus on how much his head hurt because of the noise. He stared off with a blank expression on his face while Scarlett stood frozen in the corner. Shadow tried to make eye contact with her, to ask her to help him, but she seemed to be purposefully avoiding him as she shifted her eyes in the opposite direction with an indignant frown. For a few more moments, Shadow stared intently at Scarlett, wanting more than anything for her to acknowledge him.

Abruptly, Robotnik became silent. Shadow glanced toward him expectantly but Robotnik only glared back reproachfully. "I would assume that he is not listening," Scarlett said dryly.

"I cannot deal with this!" Robotnik declared, throwing his arms up. "Did you not hear a single word I said?" he cried, exasperated.

"No, he wasn't paying attention- you can't expect him to with this concussion," Scarlett said.

"You have been babbling on, making excuses for him with this damn concussion since I arrived here! I'm sick of it!"

"Then leave," She replied shortly. Robotnik threw an angry glance at Scarlett and stormed out. As soon as the door shut she walked over to Shadow, still indignant. "He was actually saying something important," she said and sat down. Shadow shrugged in response. "Were you listening at all?"

"No."

"You're going to be taken back to London tomorrow- to the base. There will be a hearing shortly after to clear this all up," she said and leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees.

"A hearing?"

"A hearing before a judge," Scarlett said with a nod.

"Not a trial?"

"You're lucky to be getting anything at all. That's entirely doctor's doing- you should be grateful."

"Did he mention that as well when he was yelling at me?" Shadow asked spitefully.

Scarlett laughed, "Not quite sure- I actually stopped listening half way through."

"Hypocrite," Shadow grinned.

"Do as I say- not as I do!"

"How long until I can run again?" Shadow asked.

"You're joking right?" Scarlett said, appalled, "You're not even going to be leaving the base until that hedgehog is locked away!"

"What? That's ridiculous! You don't think I can handle him, do you?" Shadow snapped.

"Well you didn't before," Scarlett said dryly, "He beat the living hell out of you, and even worse: you lost your emerald!"

"I won't let that happen again," he muttered.

"You're down for another six weeks anyways, so it's a moot point," Scarlett said and leaned back and crossed her legs.

"No it isn't- I can't let him beat me!"

"Honestly Shadow!" Scarlett cried, "Letting your ego get caught up in this! He's at least eight years older than you!"

"That isn't an excuse- I should have been able to handle it and Edward Smithhart is now dead because of it!"

"I don't know what to tell you, Shadow, but you're not leaving the base."

One week passed and Shadow was still stuck inside. He could manage to hobble around using a crutch. Since he had arrived back at the base, the only company he had was Scarlett, who spent most of her time worrying about her upcoming hearing with GUN. Shadow had been told a GUN judge would not see him until at least November. Until then, he had to wait inside the base.

With his stinted leg propped up on a wooden chair, Shadow sat up on his bed, flipping through the previous day's newspaper. The door swung open and Scarlett walked in stiffly, carrying a tray of bandages, tape and surgical scissors. "Come on," she said as she placed the tray on his bed.

"Can't it wait?" Shadow asked, throwing his head back.

"No," Scarlett replied dryly, "You don't want it getting infected do you?"

"Fine," Shadow grumbled and turned his body so that his bandaged shoulder was facing Scarlett. Shadow stiffened as she immediately began to cut the bandages off. The cold metal of the scissors pressed up against a bruise and Shadow winced.

"Hold still and it won't hurt," she said sharply.

"I am!" he snapped and faced away.

"_My hearing is the day after tomorrow so I won't be here to do this,"_ she said and delicately pulled the shell of bandaging off Shadow's shoulder, "_but, it looks much better. Nevertheless, you will have to ask one of the doctors to wrap your shoulder from now on_."

"Warum?" _Why _he asked, "_you will be back._"

"_When did you become so optimistic_?" Scarlett laughed darkly, "_I will probably go to prison. Hold your arm up._"

"There hasn't been anything written about Flash," Shadow said, glancing toward the newspaper scattered across his desk.

"That's not surprising. It would be quite controversial you know. It's probably better that way, though."

"Have you heard if he's been arrested?" Shadow asked. He felt Scarlett rub a cool ointment across his shoulder blade.

"The doctor seemed to think that he had been arrested in Italy," Scarlett said and began to rewrap the lesion on his shoulder.

"How'd they manage to arrest him?" Shadow asked, surprised.

"I don't know what happened, but I imagine that he realizes that when you stand out like we do, you cannot run forever. He's arrogant anyways- probably doesn't think anything will happen to him."

"Nothing will happen to him," Shadow mumbled.

"I'm not so sure. If GUN thinks he's unstable, they'll fear him. Then they'll want him out of the way. That's probably why they're trying to keep this out of the news. He's a hero, convicting him of anything would be hugely unpopular," Scarlett said and gingerly lowered Shadow's arm and began to tape the bandages down.

"A hero? What has he done anyways?" Shadow asked spitefully.

"You must admit he was quite helpful in North Africa," Scarlett said matter-of-factly.

"It was probably overstated," Shadow commented, "He's just a shiny new toy for everyone. They'll become bored with him eventually. If his popularity was all about his ability- then they would value you even more! Why didn't you make them notice you?"

"The Lord taught humility," Scarlett said simply.

"And he was crucified."

"For our sins," Scarlett finished, "Something for which you should be thankful, especially after all your little adventures with crime."

"Adventures with crime? I think my 'adventures with crime' improved my English at least," Shadow replied with a grin. Scarlett then pulled off the tape and yanked the bandages back. "Ow!" Shadow cried.

"Oh- I'm sorry," Scarlett said sarcastically, "Did that hurt?"

"No, not at all," Shadow said, matching her sarcasm.

"It does look much better though. How does your leg feel?" Scarlett asked and readjusted the bandages.

"It still hurts," Shadow said shortly.

"Just remember to put as little weight on it as possible."

"It's so boring, though, just sitting here," Shadow said and threw his head back.

"If you behave yourself, I'll return your emerald and you may practice with it," Scarlett said and Shadow gave an annoyed sigh.

After much trouble Shadow had managed to drag his desk chair over to the window so he could watch for Scarlett's return from her hearing. Even though she had said that it was likely that she would not return but rather be sent to prison, Shadow still waited. While waiting, Shadow had fallen asleep and was slumped against the cool window pane. He hadn't been able to find a comfortable position for his leg the night before and so had only gotten a couple hours of sleep.

When Shadow finally woke up, the sun was already down. He rubbed his eyes and looked around his room. The clock said 7:15. He reached over for his crutch and almost fell out of the chair in the process. He hobbled out to the hall and peeked into Scarlett's room, but the light was still turned off with no sign of Scarlett. Slowly, he managed to climb down the stairs and into Robotnik's library.

"Doctor!" Shadow called and pushed the door open with his crutch.

Inside, Robotnik sat at a desk facing the door. He glanced up, reading glasses slipping down his nose and said, "Don't scratch the door with that thing!"

Shadow ignored him, "Where's Scarlett? Is she back yet?"

"You do realize she was going to her hearing," Robotnik said slowly as he continued to scribble notes with a fountain pen.

"Yes, of course. How did it go?"

"Better than I thought…she was excused because she was never technically obliged to stay. Neither of you are human, so legally you are treated differently than humans."

"So where is she?" Shadow pressed.

"Another charge has been brought," Robotnik explained, folding his hands neatly on his desk, "she apparently attacked Flash when he confronted her in Guadalcanal. Right now she is being held while waiting for another trial."

"What? This is ridiculous" Shadow groaned, "Have they at least caught him yet?"

"Actually," Robotnik said without looking up from what he was writing, "He was caught on Guadalcanal after he had been smashed into a tree."

"Why am I always the last to hear about these things?" Shadow said in an aggravated tone.

"I was just informed today at Scarlett's hearing. Now if you don't mind, I have already wasted enough time on you two today. I do actually have other obligations," Robotnik said and waved his left hand in a shooing motion. Shadow huffed, spun himself around on his crutch and hobbled out of the room.


	13. Recovery prt 2

One more part to this chapter! As always, leave any comments, suggestions, etc. -Anne

Scarlett sat at a dark wooden witness stand with her ankles and wrists in heavy metal handcuffs. To her right an older, tired looking man wearing a white, curled wig and an oversized, black robe while a suited man drilled her with question after question.

"And what did you discuss once you were away from camp?" he asked as he paced back and forth.

"Well he asked me if I had talked to my brother. I hadn't and so…"

"Did you tell him that you had not spoken with your brother?" the attorney interrupted.

"Yes," Scarlett replied and frowned at the rude interruption.

"Continue," the attorney stopped and looked at Scarlett expectantly.

"He told me that he attacked Shadow because he believed he was doing something illegal. He said that he had killed him and he would tell me where Shadow's body was if I gave him my chaos emerald," Scarlett explained.

"How did Flash know about your emerald?" the attorney quipped.

"Rumors I'd imagine," Scarlett said, shaken, "I used my emerald to transport injured soldiers. Word could have spread."

"Or perhaps that is a convenient excuse to attack him. He didn't know about that emerald did he? Flash the Hedgehog came to ask you to go to Ireland to control your brother," he said and approached the witness stand.

"No!" Scarlett protested, "when I called him on his lie, he brought out Shadow's emerald and threatened me with it. He tried to attack me with the emerald and so I defended myself!"

"What kind of skill do these emeralds require?"

"Well…" Scarlett hesitated, "It's not so easily explained. It takes a good amount of meditation to be able to control them effectively."

"Wait- so you and your brother have been practicing with these emeralds for a long time now, correct? So why is Flash who had only been in possession of the emerald for mere hours such a threat?"

Scarlett's jaw dropped as she searched for an explanation, "I said it takes practice to _control_ them, any hedgehog could theoretically pick up a chaos emerald and do something with it, they just might hurt themselves or someone around them."

"But couldn't you, with your large amount of experience, have easily neutralized Flash?"

"Obviously because I did, but before he could do any damage with that emerald. He's lucky he even managed to get to Guadalcanal in the first place honestly!"

"And you felt it necessary to blast Flash the Hedgehog with so much force that he actually left a dent in a tree?" he asked and leaned toward Scarlett, his hands on the witness stand.

Scarlett scooted her chair back and looked at him with an indignant expression. "He had my brother's emerald," she said, annunciating each word, "I took him as a serious threat because of that." She then crossed her arms and looked away, scowling, "Are you really suggesting that I, a teenage girl, am really in the wrong for simply protecting myself?"

"I never suggested that at all," the attorney said, and backed up. Again, he paced, his shoes clicking against the wood flooring and his nose pointing up. "I was only questioning your intent in attacking Flash. It must be frustrating…" he started, a smirk spreading across his face.

"What?" Scarlett asked.

"You have been fighting to help our boys since February and yet, you have never been lauded as a hero. It must be frustrating to see Flash the Hedgehog waltz onto this planet and be claimed, almost instantly, a hero."

"I don't seek admiration," Scarlett said, still indignant.

The attorney ignored her statement, though, "That's why you attacked him- you're jealous. You're jealous that you and your brother must fight to be treated with dignity while Flash is honored. Your honor," he said and focused his attention to the judge, "Scarlett the Hedgehog did encounter my client in the jungles on Guadalcanal. They did have some sort of confrontation in which she attacked my client. However, my client did not initiate this fight. He did not even know another emerald existed! She attacked my client because she was angry! Flash the Hedgehog is a glorified war hero and she is intensely jealous of him after slaving away as a nurse for our troops. While it is a noble job, it is one which does not garner much attention. When she saw that my client had successfully apprehended her criminal brother and was in possession of his powerful emerald, she became enraged and attacked Flash and stole the emerald back. This was not self defense!" he gave a short chuckle, "This was a dangerous temper tantrum! Both her and her brother…"

"Counselor, we are here only to try Scarlett the Hedgehog, not Shadow," the judge said in a gruff voice.

"Excuse me, your honor; I will save that argument for tomorrow. As I was saying, Scarlett the Hedgehog is no doubt powerful, but with the temper she has demonstrated, I would consider her a threat to society. It is not her fault, though, she is a product of Nazism," the attorney said smoothly.

"How dare you call me-" Scarlett started and stood up in her seat before two policemen came and pressed all their weight on her shoulders to force her down.

"I'm finished with her," the attorney said dismissively and walked back to his table. He sat down, satisfied, and took a large gulp of water from the glass sitting in front of him. The police then led Scarlett back to her seat beside Dr. Robotnik.

All three watched the judge expectantly as he shuffled through notes, photos and other pieces of evidence. As he stacked them up neatly, he cleared his throat and said, "After much deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that Scarlett the Hedgehog is guilty of the assault and battery of Flash the Hedgehog. Counselor, I have considered your statement on the danger of this particular young lady and have decided that imprisonment in the newly constructed Prison Island would be most appropriate. Once there, the GUN commission may decide her final sentence." He then turned his head so slightly toward Scarlett, "May I suggest you be cooperative so as to minimize your punishment." Scarlett could not respond, she sat, shocked at the verdict even though she had predicted it to Shadow days before.

In the same court room, not even two days later, Shadow sat at the same witness stand. He watched the same attorney rise from his seat and take one last nonchalant sip of water. Every sound echoed in the almost empty room. Only the judge, Robotnik, the guards and one random spectator sat watching the attorney approach Shadow. Shadow looked closer at the lone guest: an average looking middle aged man with mousy brown hair and round rimmed glasses which slipped down his nose as he hunched over something. Shadow straightened up in his chair, the man seemed to be scribbling, no, drawing in a sketchbook. He sneered and watched the man draw, resentful for no particular reason.

As he glared at the artist in the corner, the attorney began questioning him. "Excuse me!" he said and snapped his fingers in front of Shadow.

"Yes?" Shadow said and crossed his arms.

"Your Honor," the attorney turned from Shadow and addressed the judge, "this child does not take this hearing seriously."

"I think you have his attention now," the judge said and waved his hand in a small circle to tell the attorney to continue.

The attorney whipped his head back around and quickly fired his first question, "Where did you first meet Flash the Hedgehog."

"In London, he was chasing after me to try to take my emerald."

"Hadn't you just broken into a local store? Perhaps Flash was assisting the police in apprehending you," he suggested.

"It looked like that. When the police caught us, that's what I first thought. Once he caught me, though, he demanded that I hand over my emerald," Shadow said carefully.

"Once again," the attorney laughed, "I asked Scarlett this same question- and how would he know that you owned this emerald?"

"How am I supposed to know? Someone probably saw me use it," Shadow replied.

"Your sister stressed the importance of controlling these emeralds and being responsible with them and you would just run around London using it as you please to become a pick pocket and a petty thief?"

Shadow smiled, "Guess I'm just a disappointment, but I'm not a pick pocket."

"So you admit to using your 'chaos emerald' to steal?" the attorney said quickly as he jumped toward the witness stand.

"I haven't admitted anything," Shadow said sternly.

"You only ran off to Ireland so you could continue stealing! So what happened once you and Edward Smithhart went to Ireland?"

"Be more specific, we were there for several weeks," Shadow said sarcastically.

The attorney crossed his arms and gave a frustrated sigh, "What were you doing when you encountered Flash again?"

"We were sitting on a roof."

"And what were you doing on the roof?"

"Sitting," Shadow repeated.

"Why were you sitting on top of a roof?" the attorney pressed.

"We liked it up there- had a good view."

"A good view of what?"

"Everything."

The attorney threw his arms up in the air, "When you were up on this roof with a 'good view' did you see Flash the Hedgehog enter town?"

"Well we didn't see him come into town, no," Shadow said with a grin.

"But you could see him from on top of this roof?"

Shadow took a moment and pretended to think, "Yes," he finally answered.

"And he saw you up there?"

Again, Shadow took his time answering the question, "Yes."

"What happened once he saw you?" the attorney asked.

"I ran up and greeted him of course," Shadow replied sarcastically, "What do you think I did? I ran."

"What did Flash do to threaten you enough to make you run away?"

"I thought we'd already gone over this," Shadow said and leaned back in the chair.

"You were afraid that he would take this emerald, of which you claim Flash had prior knowledge. While you were running away, what did Edward Smithhart do?"

"I told him to go north, as I was going to run south, then we would meet back up there in the town square."

"So how is it that his body ended up south of town?"

Before Shadow could answer however, the judge said, "he's already given a full statement on these events. You've heard the recording, counselor."

"And if I remember correctly," the attorney continued, "in this statement you give no explanation for either Flash's supposed knowledge of the chaos emeralds or for why Mr. Smithhart ended up on the wrong side of town."

"I had just woken up, I was," Shadow started, but the attorney continued to speak.

"After weeks of running, of living on the streets without his home or his family, Edward Smithhart sees Flash the Hedgehog and sees a way back home. So he says to you, Shadow, he says that he's going to find him and ask him to take him back to London. This doesn't go over too well with you, does it? If this boy talks to Flash, then he's found you too, and you can't have that happen. So what do you do? You take the boy to the opposite side of town and kill him before he can say anything. Unfortunately for you, Flash does find you and in his rage he, regrettably, fights you. Isn't that how it worked?"

"That makes no sense," Shadow said softly, "How would Flash have known that I was there?"

"One of the locals informed him," the attorney replied.

"Why would I say that I told Edward to go north then?"

"Because you can't get your story straight!" the attorney cried, "You never mentioned anything in your interview about returning to the central square, you said that you were simply going to meet up with Mr. Smithhart later, implying that you were going to meet him on the north end of town."

Shadow struggled to remember what he had actually said in the interview. "Your Honor," the doctor rose from his seat, "He did not specify in this interview when or where he would meet with the boy."

"Next question, counselor," the judge mumbled.

"That's all, your honor," the lawyer said, smiled congenially and returned to his seat. One of the guards then approached Shadow and motioned for him to stand up. Shadow stood up, and without his crutch allowed the guard to lead him back to his seat beside the doctor. The judge leaned back and folded his hands over his stomach. Shadow stared intently at him, holding his breath, waiting for him to open his mouth and speak.

The judge turned his head slightly and spoke to the doctor, "The space colony ARK was recently completed, correct?"

"Yes." The doctor replied.

His eyes refocused onto Shadow, "If you want to avoid imprisonment, I suggest that you go to the space colony and remain there. I don't want to see or hear of you on this planet again. As for this emerald, it will be confiscated and taken to a secure GUN facility," the judge said slowly. Shadow took a deep breath and looked down at the floor, considering what the judge had just said.


	14. Recovery prt 3

In response to some of the comments about the attorney, I decided to add in one more little part about him! Also I realize that things haven't been going too well for Shadow but this is the last particularly difficult chapter for another few years. Anyways, hope you enjoy! - Anne

In a bare, off-white room Shadow sat at a light colored wooden table across from his sister while he explained his verdict. Behind thick windows stood two bored looking GUN guards. As he said each word, he examined her face for any kind of reaction, but she kept the same blank expression. "And so I have to go to the space colony," Shadow finished. He waited for Scarlett to say something, but she only looked away, thinking. "And then that lawyer…" Shadow continued bitterly.

Before Shadow could finish, Scarlett began to giggle, "Yes, the attorney!"

"What's so funny?" Shadow snapped.

"He was quite awful to the both of us, wasn't he?" she mused, "I couldn't help but wonder, is this typical of lawyers, or is this one just particularly talented at making up little stories?"

"Little stories? More like a load of shit!"

"Watch your language! But you must admit he did his job quite well, didn't he?" Scarlett said airily.

"Never mind him…I can't believe the judge believed that shit from the attorney, it's completely ridiculous!" Shadow continued.

"Really Shadow, watch your language!" she snapped and then continued slowly, "The judge didn't believe it."

"What? What do you mean? Then why am I being shipped off to ARK?"

"Staying down here freely was never an option. This entire situation has brought to light exactly how much damage we, including Flash, can cause. Being sent to ARK is essentially a "not guilty" verdict," she replied, looking away. Underneath the table the cuffs around her ankles jangled.

"I don't see how any of this is positive," Shadow grumbled.

"I think living at ARK is actually a wonderful outcome. Think about it, you'll be allowed to roam the colony as you please, you won't have to worry about the general population and I believe Maria's already up there. You two still get along well, right?"

"Yes," Shadow said, looking down at the ground.

"Well, it sounds as if you will have a very peaceful time up there," Scarlett said airily.

"Or boring…" he grumbled.

"Well you can always spend some time in a GUN prison if that suits you better," she snapped with a frown. She waited for a moment for a reply, and then continued, "That's what I thought. You can cut out all the whining then."

"What are you going to do?" Shadow asked bitterly, "You can escape! I know you can!" He looked around the barren room, noting the different ways Scarlett could potentially escape. "See! Look at the-"

"Shadow, honestly!" she groaned, and held up her hand, "And what exactly would I do then? Hm? I'll tell you, I would be running for the rest of my life. It would be a miserable existence."

"You could hide at ARK," Shadow suggested.

"I appreciate the concern, I really do, but I have faith that the Lord will protect me."

"And what if-if something happens to you? What then?"

"What are you talking about? I'm going to go to a secure prison and I'm going to sit there until GUN is satisfied that I'm not a threat," Scarlett said.

"What if they decide you're better off dead?"

Scarlett's eyes narrowed, "I don't know where you're going with this idea, but you're best off just keeping your head down and staying on GUN's good side. You understand me? That would help me the most, not running off and doing something stupid!"

"But you could…"

"I don't want to hear anymore of this nonsense!" Scarlett interrupted, "You are to go quietly to the space colony and then wait until everything has calmed down or you find a way off this damn planet."

"Okay," he said and grimaced.

"Very good," Scarlett said.

"They're making me give up my emerald too," Shadow muttered, still scowling.

"Yes, they took mine as well. However, Dr. Robotnik suggested to me yesterday that he may have something in mind to help you. I've already turned in my emerald, so there's nothing he can do for me…"

"How long do you think they're going to keep you here?" Shadow asked.

Scarlett gave an exasperated sigh and looked away, "I don't know. We'll have to wait and be patient."

They then sat in an uncomfortable silence, each avoiding the other's gaze. Shadow squirmed in his chair, his mind racing with a hundred different questions. Outside, the guards seemed to notice the silence and one began to glance down at his watch. He took a deep breath and decided on one final question, "Will this be the last time I see you?"

"For now," Scarlett said and watched the disappointment grow in Shadow's expression, "but we must remember: only the kingdom of heaven lasts forever."

"That doesn't really help," Shadow said quietly as his breathing became jagged.

"Shhh…" Scarlett reached across the table to place her hand on his shoulder, "_Please, please, don't cry_." She stood up and walked, chains clanking around her ankles, then knelt down next to him, grasped his wrists and pulled him so she could face him. "I'll see if I can write you, but no promises," Scarlett placed her hands on each side of Shadows face and kissed his forehead, "I think our time's up, dear. Listen, Schatten, I will see you later." she said and looked over to the window where the two guards were moving toward the door. As she stood up again, Shadow heard the bang of the heavy door opening, then soft footsteps accompanied by a metallic jingle. He allowed himself one final glance and saw Scarlett glance over her shoulder as the guards escorted her out.

Back in the research base, Shadow waited impatiently as Dr. Robotnik hurried back and forth from the entryway to his office, grabbing this and that before they finally left the base to go to the space colony. Shadow leaned up against his crutch, his emerald cradled in his hands, as the doctor rushed back to his office muttering that he had forgotten something. When he returned, he was still muttering, "can't believe I didn't anticipate this. It's a borderline disaster, it is," and digging through a black overnight bag, he continued, "And they're already here! The one time the government is early for something, I'd rather them be late!" Shadow glanced outside at the black car as it slowed to a stop in front of the base. "Put that thing up," the doctor said and hastily waved a hand at Shadow.

"I have to turn it in, remember?" Shadow said, tightening his grip on the emerald.

"No, no you aren't. Losing the other emerald is already enough of a setback. Didn't Scarlett speak to you about this?" He huffed and dug deeper into his bag, "Here," he said and pulled out a dull, black jewel.

"You want me to give them this?" Shadow scoffed and took the fake emerald to compare it with his own, "They'll never accept this!"

"GUN barely knows what the hell a chaos emerald is! Come now, give the real one to me!" he held out his large hand expectantly. Still skeptical, Shadow gently dropped the shimmering black emerald in his hand. "Let's go now," the doctor said and ushered Shadow out the door and toward the three GUN officers who were just stepping out of the black vehicle. Two of the three raised handguns and pointed them in their direction.

"Doctor…" Shadow muttered and immediately froze.

"It's just a precaution, hand the emerald to me," the doctor replied in a hushed voice. Shadow handed over the fake emerald and watched as the doctor slowly stepped toward the third officer. He scrutinized every move and facial twitch the third officer made, waiting for him to realize that the emerald was a fake. The doctor, however, strolled over to him and held the emerald out with a slight nod of the head. As the officer gingerly examined the emerald, the doctor turned slightly and invited Shadow to approach them. Another nerve wrecking moment later, the officer secured the emerald in his coat pocket and turned back toward the car with the doctor and Shadow following him.


	15. The Fifth

Just a quick note: Most media portray Maria as very sweet and innocent. I think that's horribly boring. While I do keep some of her original qualities, I do also change her up a bit. I figure if you've read this far, though, then you're probably not too opposed to some changes though. Thanks, hope y'all enjoy! -Anne

1943- The Fifth

May-

Scarlett was right, Space Colony ARK was peaceful. Most days were quite dull as Shadow was still not fully recovered from his fight the previous fall. In the observation room, Shadow sat across from a thin, ghostly looking girl with platinum blonde hair and deep set blue eyes who was mulling over a math book. Maria scowled at the book as she chewed on her pen and nervously crossed and uncrossed her legs.

Shadow, however, didn't take notice. While he had the same book opened in front of him, he had long since stopped focusing and hung his head back and looked at the room around him. Large, thick windows lined one wall and looked over the earth and all the blackness between the station and the blue planet. Just as the rest of the colony was made of the same chrome colored metal, so were the other walls of the observatory. Blue neon lights outlined the room while thin white lights ran across the ceiling. After a few seconds of staring at the white light, Shadow began to see spots. When he looked back down to readjust his eyes, Maria was chewing on her pen with such force, she looked as if she was about to bite it in half.

Finally she dropped her pen down into the crook in her book and let her head dropped. "I don't get this!" she declared.

"What's there not to get?" Shadow asked dryly.

"This!" She said and yanked the book up, sending the pen flying across the room. She held the book open with an exasperated look on her face.

"What page are you on?" Shadow asked, reluctantly looking back down at his own book.

"Um…" Maria turned the book around and searched the page, "fifty-six"

"Alright," Shadow said and began flipping to page fifty-six. He examined the page, then realized that Maria hadn't told him exactly what she didn't understand. When he looked up, his jaw dropped.

Maria was slumped over in her chair, the book thrown on the ground. She was twitching, her eyes blinking rapidly. Her chest moved wildly up and down as if she was being shaken from the inside. "Maria? _Maria?_" he gasped.

Shadow panicked, he jumped and ran out of the room to find the doctor. He was always in his lab, doing some sort of research, Shadow would look there first. As he ran through the corridors, the blue lights bled together into one blurry line. Before he had fully realized how far he had run, he was in front of the doctor's office. He skidded to a halt and slammed his hand on the large button by the door. With a soft whoosh, the door opened and Shadow hurried in. "Doctor- Dr. Robotnik!" Shadow gasped through his own quick breaths of air, "Something's wrong with Maria! She's convulsing, seizing!"

He jumped out of his chair and ran out into the corridor, "Where is she?" he ordered.

"The observatory."

"Go keep an eye on her!" he said, worry leaking through his voice. Shadow hurriedly shook his head and turned on his heels and sprinted back to the observatory.

He threw open the door and saw the young girl passed out on the cold metal ground, her limbs splayed out and her hair tangled. Not a single muscle moved. A minute later, Dr. Robotnik jogged in, breathing heavily. "Maria!" He croaked and knelt down beside her, "Shadow- go get her doctors," his head sunk down and Shadow quickly left. He ran into another of the research labs, there he found some doctors. He didn't know if they were Maria's doctors or not, "Maria had a seizure in the observatory!" He looked around. One doctor pushed his way through the rest.

"Not again!" he gasped and ran out, "Some of you- get a stretcher!" Shadow waited to make sure they would. Two of them grabbed a wooden back board and followed the other doctor out. Shadow jogged behind.

A few hours passed and even though Maria was awake and seemingly recovered, she found herself still confined to a hospital bed. As she lay deathly still, she became acutely aware of the thin papery sheet which covered her. She closed her eyes and took a deep, difficult breath, considering the news just dealt her. With her eyes still closed, she heard the soft opening of the door. When she opened them, she saw Shadow quietly slip into the room.

He looked over at her and stopped, "Were you asleep?" he asked.

"No, no," Maria replied.

"You feeling better?"

Maria shrugged, "I didn't really feel bad honestly, just a little dizzy before I blacked out." Shadow leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms. "That's the fourth seizure I've had," Maria said softly.

"I know. When did they start anyways?" Shadow asked.

"Ohh…" Maria rolled her head to one side and thought for a moment, "December I believe."

"Maybe it's this colony. Maybe-maybe there's something up here that's making you sick," Shadow babbled.

"Shadow, I'm the only one who's sick," Maria said darkly, "I'm going to have surgery to rewire whatever it is that's going wrong up there."

"What makes them think that surgery is going to help?" Shadow asked skeptically.

"Eh- who knows? I suspect, no, I hope they have their reasons," Maria said in a flat tone. She smirked and continued, "How bad could it honestly be, though? Epileptics live fairly normally. I don't see how my seizures are so serious."

"But you aren't epileptic."

"No, no I'm not. But you see my point? If epileptics can live with seizures, why can't I?"

"I think they take some sort of medication…" Shadow added.

"Well, It'll all be irrelevant if this surgery works," Maria said flippantly.

"True." Shadow agreed.

Two months after Maria's seizure, Shadow still found himself in much the same routine as in May. Until his leg was completely healed, Shadow spent most of his time playing around with whatever he could find in the labs. He'd made a lock for his door and for just about every cabinet and drawer in his room.

As he lounged on his bed, eyes closed he heard a knock on his door. He knew who was there, the only visitors he ever received were Maria and the doctor.

He swung his legs around in no particular hurry and stood up to unlock the door. When he finally opened the door, he found Maria standing in front of him with a napkin tucked in her hand and half a grin on her face. "Happy Birthday!" she chimed, "I brought you a cookie."

"Thanks," Shadow said, "Come in."

"Thank you!" she chimed again and sat down where she always sat in Shadow's room: up against the backboard of his metal bed. Bandages were wrapped around her head. Her hair was pulled back, unlike how it used to be. It used to be perfectly done, every strand of yellow hair planned out.

"How're you recovering?" Shadow asked her as he sat down in his desk chair and swiveled it around.

"Oh- I'm alright," She looked up at her bandaged head and sighed, "So long as I don't get an infection."

"Do you think this surgery worked?"

"It better have," Maria replied, "I don't want another seizure." Shadow nodded. "But don't you like my new hair style?" She asked and twirled a piece of hair around her finger.

"There's no good way to answer that."

Maria smiled and said, "No there really isn't, is there? Anyways, let's celebrate! It's your birthday and my first day out of a damn hospital bed!" She took a bite of her cookie and giggled. Shadow sat with the napkin and cookie in his lap. "Well," Maria said and frowned, "I didn't bake it so you could stare at it. Eat it! It won't kill you."

"Thanks but I'm really not hungry," Shadow said and placed the cookie on his desk.

"Well aren't you just a ball of sunshine," Maria said dryly, "It's a cookie. It's not supposed to make you less hungry…"

"Satiate," Shadow added.

"Whatever, I know it in Polish, but a cookie is just supposed to taste good. Now it's your birthday, so you should just eat it already," Maria said and took another bite.

"Fine, I will," Shadow said and threw a hand up.

Maria smiled triumphantly, "Wonderful! You know, you're really lucky that I didn't sing to you!"

Shadow shuddered in fake disgust, "I'd rather you not."

"What? Don't you think I'm musical? I play the violin!" Maria said indignantly.

"I know," Shadow said, his tone going flat, "You've only been playing it non-stop since I've been up here."

Maria turned her nose up and smirked, "Don't you appreciate the fine art of the violin?"

"What told you that I didn't?"

Maria shrugged and continued, "I'm going to the Paris Conservatory, you know. That's my dream. I'm going to go to Paris and then play in a symphony."

"And when did you decide this?" Shadow asked skeptically.

"About a year ago," Maria replied, still indignant, "Problem?"

"I don't know if you've noticed this, but Paris is overrun with Nazis right now," Shadow said and leaned back.

"I thought you were going to go chase them out for me," Maria said and smiled.

"Oh yes, I'll get right on that," Shadow replied facetiously.

"I guess I could always go to New York, but the Conservatoire de Paris _is _my first choice and I'm relying on you! I've already started learning French and I don't want it to go to waste."

"Well I'll start working on forcing thousands of Germans out of France immediately."

"And I expect nothing less!" Maria chimed and laughed.

Shadow tried to read in the library as Maria quietly practiced a violin. The whining of the violin echoed off the metal bookshelves and tall ceilings. Maria's large sullen blue eyes stared intently at her left hand as her fingers pressed down on the individual strings. She seemed to be glaring at the violin with her lips pursed together and her fingers shaking violently with each tremolo. Shadow watched her face, waiting for the anger to leave her face.

"Are you mad about something?" he finally asked.

The sunken in eyes looked up at him and quickly said "No," then continued to play.

"Well you look like you're about to break the violin," Shadow observed and leaned back.

In dramatic fashion, she whipped her bow across the strings and lowered her violin. "Isn't the library supposed a quiet place?"

"If it is, then why do I keep hearing a dying cat?" Shadow replied with a smirk.

Maria narrowed her eyes, "I'm not mad at the violin and if my playing is so bad then why don't you play something for me?" She held out both bow and violin.

"Oh, maybe later," Shadow said and stretched out his right arm

"Whatever," Maria said, rolled her eyes and placed her violin back on her shoulder.

"But really, why are you glaring at the violin?"

"I'm not!" she insisted, "I'm practicing! You have been such a little brat lately and I'm not putting up with it." She turned her nose up slightly and continued playing.

"What are you talking about?"

Without moving her violin an inch, Maria's eyes shot over toward Shadow, "You have done nothing but whine about how bored you are, how trapped you are, how this colony is going to drive you insane! You're going to be up here for awhile and from what Granpa has told me, you're lucky you're not locked in a cell." Shadow stared at her in shock. "Well someone has to keep you in line," Maria said.


	16. The Fifth prt 2

So...I have not update in forever. Long story short- my computer had a virus and my hard drive had to be wiped completely, but it's fixed now and everything was saved! So, please enjoy! -Anne

A tired looking Maria sat on a cold, hard metal examination table, rubbing her eyes. "Why must it be so early?" Maria asked her grandfather who was sitting uncomfortably in a too small chair stowed in the corner of the room.

"I'm not excited about it either, Maria," he grumbled in response.

Maria looked up at the clock. It was a little after six thirty. "You think I could sleep through this examination?" she asked jokingly, kicking her feet.

"Don't you wish?" the doctor said and squirmed in the chair, "Where is he anyways?"

"Until he does come…" Maria said, swung her legs over and rolled over onto her stomach and crossed her arms over the back of her head. She could feel the smooth silk of the scarf which covered the remaining scars from her surgery. "I'm going to take a nap." She announced and closed her eyes to enjoy the silence. Just as she was about to drift to sleep, the metal clang of the door jarred her awake. Her armed flailed and banged up against the side of the exam table.

"Time to wake up!" a bright voice chimed as Maria sat back up straight and rubbed the side of her arm. In front of her stood her lanky, mouse haired doctor with a wide grin stretched across his face. "And how are you doing this morning?" he asked.

"Fine, thank you," Maria said, still groggy.

"Very good then, let's take a look at how you're healing up then," the doctor said and approached her. He stopped in front of her and looked at Maria's scarf, turning his head to see one side of her head then the other while Maria looked at him, amused.

"Please, Dr. March," Maria said pleasantly, "Allow me." She began to unknot the scarf at the nape of her neck. "I tie it quite tightly because otherwise it will go flying away every time I walk under one of the vents," Maria explained and laughed. As she unwrapped the blue scarf, a cool breeze whipped over her head, bringing to attention the spots where her hair was still thin.

"Well um..." March started as he nervously lifted a few strands of hair away from the scars on the back of Maria's head.

"How does it look?" Maria prompted.

"It-it seems to be healing nicely. Maybe we can take the stitches out this week-or next week," March stammered. Maria didn't answer, she couldn't find any reason to care too much about the stitches of all things.

"When will you know if it worked?" Maria asked dryly.

"If what worked?" March asked as Maria stared up at him in disbelief, "Oh- the surgery you mean?"

"Yes, the surgery," Maria answered, keeping her tone polite.

"Well it was experimental, so I don't exactly have a definitive answer for you..." he answered hesitantly.

"Okay, thank you," she said, keeping the disappointment she felt hidden.

"Anyways!" March spun around and began rummaging through cabinets and drawers, "Let's continue with your checkup!"

Shadow worked obsessively on his various projects. He studied the ARK computers, finding ways to hack into whatever computer he wished. He was determined to find where Flash was and to find where Scarlett had been executed. When he wasn't frustrating himself on ARK's computers he trained himself every day for the few hours. His leg was a constant problem, always paining him, slowing him down. Shadow would curse to himself and reluctantly quit to try to let the aching wear off. Usually that only happened every two or three days though. After months of training though, it started to feel worse.

After about the fifth day in a row that his leg had started to ache, Shadow started a new project. Maria watched him as he took a small stack of books back to his room. During the dead of night, Shadow took whatever he needed from the labs. Only Maria noticed his change in behavior.

That night, a stern knock came on his door and Maria's voice chimed, "Shadow?" After a few moments and no answer, Maria pressed her ear against the door and listened until Shadow quickly unlocked and opened the door, causing her to stumble back to keep from falling.

Shadow opened the door with a confused look, "You're still awake?"

"Just like you. What are you doing in here anyways?"

"Nothing," Shadow answered shortly,

"What are you working on?" She pressed and slid past Shadow and into the room. It was barely big enough for the both of them and Maria had contort her body a bit to make her way to his desk.

"My leg's been bothering me, and I'm trying to find out how to make it better."

"You can go ask the doctors, they will at least try to help" Maria said and examined the pile of books she had seen him haul away from the library that day.

"The doctors send me to the veterinarians and the vets send me to the doctors," Shadow replied dryly.

"Oh yes, I remember that now. Cowards. No one wants to take on a challenge anymore," she said and began flicking through the pages of an old looking olive green book that was already open on Shadow's desk. "Why don't you just give it a break for a time?" she asked after a few silent moments.

"I-I can't," Shadow said, not sure of the answer.

"And why's that?"

"If they come for me...I have to be ready."

"_They_. Don't you love the general _they _for all the monsters in the world?" Maria said with a crooked grin.

"Don't be a smartass. You know exactly who," Shadow snapped and took a seat on the edge of his bed. "GUN killed Scarlett and it's just a matter of time before they come up here," Shadow continued, "I'm not going to just wait patiently until they decide to be rid of me!"

Maria turned around to face Shadow and half way sat on his desk, her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. "Killed? There was never anything about any execution in her sentencing. My grandfather was there for it. Now quit with this-this para...whatever."

"Paranoia," Shadow finished.

"Yes, pair-anno-wa." Shadow couldn't help but laugh a little, "You're just trying to find a reason to be angry. They wouldn't execute her for Christ's sake!"

"You're being naive," Shadow grumbled.

"I don't even know what that means," Maria complained.

"Gullible, like a little kid! They see us as a threat! There's no reason why they would keep her alive."

"You're still here, aren't you? But, they know that both of you are too valuable to throw away. Is that what you've been up all hours of the night doing? Grumbling to yourself, finding reasons to be angry?" She stared Shadow down, waiting for a response. "It's no way to live," she continued, her tone softer, "You're wanting to get back at GUN, when, really, Scarlett would want you to turn away. When I would really want you to just forget it."

"What do you mean?"

"Doesn't the Bible say something about turning cheeks?"

"Yes," Shadow admitted, "she probably would cite a Bible verse to me, but why do you care?"

Maria's eyebrows traveled farther up her forehead, "All I'm saying is that you shouldn't push your luck, otherwise you will end up dead, and that would be a sad day."

"I can handle it," Shadow muttered and Maria narrowed her eyes in doubt. "Shut up," Shadow said with a grin.

It was December 1943 and Maria had dragged him away from training to force him to take a break. "It's the holidays, Shadow! You can stop for a little while," Maria said, "Anyways, I needed help decorating the tree!" The "tree" was a three foot tall plastic green colored thing in the middle of the otherwise bland observatory. Maria was stringing lights around the tree, softly humming to herself. Even though the colony did not feel the effects of a winter on earth, Maria still wore a sky blue turtleneck sweater over a white skirt.

Maria always seemed to be wearing that same shade of blue, Shadow noted, as far back as he could remember her. One particular time came to mind, it was around Christmas time as Maria and her mother always came to visit her grandfather around the holidays. When it would snow, Maria would tromp through the garden wearing pearly white snow boots and a blue jumper. Shadow liked to hide behind a small shed and wait for her to come close enough...and then pelt her with a fist full of dirty snow. Not a second later, Scarlett would be at his side to pull him away from the scene while Maria screeched words he couldn't understand. Later, Shadow remembered seeing Scarlett and Maria's mother washing the stains out of the blue jumper.

In 1943, Shadow scrutinized the green figure which Maria claimed was a tree, "But it isn't even really a tree," he complained.

Maria pursed her lips together, "Well, you have any better ideas?"

Shadow just shrugged and held up a string of popcorn, "Can I eat this?"

"No!" Maria said and laughed, "It's for the tree!"

"It'll be a waste on the tree, besides it's not even a real tree," Shadow countered.

"But it'll look prettier on the tree!"

"I'll save some for you," Shadow offered and ate one kernel.

"Don't eat them!" Maria laughed and snatched them away. She immediately started to put them on the tree. "See! Now look what you've done!" she said while still laughing, "I was going to put on the lights, then the popcorn, but now I have to do it backwards!" She turned her back to Shadow with a small hrumpf and continued to decorate. With her back turned, Shadow picked up the end of the popcorn string and continued munching. Once Maria heard the crunching, she huffed and shook her head.

After the tree had been decorated and Maria had kept Shadow from eating all the popcorn, she made another bowl of popcorn designated for eating. "See, you're getting your popcorn," Maria said.

"Yeah- but the popcorn on the tree tasted better."

"You are so difficult," she sighed and threw a popcorn kernel up in the air and tried to catch it in her mouth, but failed as it slid down her cheek and landed in her lap.

"Just because I like to eat food and not put it on a tree doesn't make me difficult," Shadow muttered. Maria had to cover her mouth while she laughed to keep from spitting popcorn all over herself.

"Now look what you've done!" she cried. "Here," she picked up a handful of popcorn, as a mischievous look spread across her face, "Let's see how much of it you can catch!"


	17. The Fifth prt 3

A short chapter, but an important one. Hope you enjoy! -Anne

A few days later, Christmas Eve, Maria was lying, once again, in the hospital wing. She was paler than usual, all color drained from her sallow cheeks. Shadow sat silently by her bed, waiting for her to speak. "I guess the surgery didn't work," Maria mused.

The door flew open, a bedraggled Anka ran in, "Maria, my Maria!" She rushed to Maria's bedside and kneeled down beside her. "How are you feeling, my dear?"

"I'm fine, mother," Maria said pleasantly.

Anka's lip quivered as she looked helplessly at her daughter, "Oh, Maria." She tried desperately to smile. "My darling…I was so worried." Shadow saw Anka turn her head away to hide the tears welling up in her eyes as Maria watched her, her face a mixture of pity and annoyance.

Maria's mother remained slumped over her bed, distressed and fretting, for at least another fifteen minutes. All the while, Maria stared straight ahead with a blank expression across her face. Just as Shadow was about to break the infuriating silence, an older man in a pure white lab coat came in. He quickly knocked and rushed in, his chin lifted up and his eyes staring down at them. Doctor March followed behind, hiding behind his clipboard

"Mrs. Robotnik," the old doctor said in a low monotone.

Still teary, Anka looked up, "Yes..?" Her voice was shaky and weak, her blue eyes bloodshot.

"I need speak with you… outside," For every bit of reluctance Shadow sensed in the older doctor's express was multiplied through March's deer-in-the headlights eyes and quivering frown.

Anka's eyes widened in terror. After a deep sigh, she finally said, "Yes, of course," then slowly rose and followed the older doctor and March out the door.

Once all three were safely out of earshot, Maria looked over to Shadow, "_That_ did not sound promising," she commented.

"No, not at all. What happened exactly?" Shadow asked.

"That's the thing..." she started, finally showing a sign of distress, "I have no memory of it. I know I had a seizure, but that is all." Shadow absorbed what she had just said. Maria began to hum, Shadow recognized it as Beethoven's fifth symphony. "It's one of the most famous pieces of music ever written," Maria said as Shadow wondered from where this topic had come, "Some romantics say that the main motif from the first movement is _fate knocking on the door_!" She laughed and continued, "You know, though, it is rumored that Beethoven never meant it to mean 'fate' but others placed that meaning there...The last thing I remember is reading about the symphony and it playing through my head."

Shadow quietly listened to her rambling, staring down at the off white floor tiles. After a small sigh, she continued, "I do not like the idea of fate."

"The idea that we have no choice in anything," Shadow added.

"There is a second part, though. Fate is knocking on the door and we have to overcome it. I do like that idea."

Outside, they could hear soft cries. Maria's chest heaved up and down slowly, "That is not good...definitely not good," she whispered. "I wonder what it is…" she sighed. She hung her head and listened, barely breathing. Then, the crying subsided and Maria's head popped up. She watched the door anxiously, waiting for it to swing open. Once it finally opened, Maria's heart jumped into her throat, but only Dr. March entered.

He motioned to Shadow and said quietly, "Come with me outside."

"No, why?"

March messaged his temples and groaned helplessly, "Not today, just come on." Hesitantly, Shadow stood up and gave Maria a fleeting, sympathetic glance before he left. Maria took another deep breath, her chest heaving up with all her strength. This time, she didn't dare look to the door when she heard footsteps and her mother's weak gasps.

"What's wrong?" Maria asked, feigning normalcy.

"It's not good, Maria, but you're going to be okay," her mother stammered and Maria considered how much of an understatement "not good" would turn out to be.

"Well, dear," her old crusty doctor now seemed grandfatherly which only made Maria more nervous, "The scans that we did showed that there was some loss in…" He continued on, but she couldn't force herself to listen. She tried to examine the scans he was showing her, but none of it made sense. The complicated medical jargon made her feel young and stupid.

Once her mother piped up, Maria was able to refocus, "You're probably not going to have a long life." What did that mean? Maria's eyes widened, she had never considered anything deadly. Would she only live to her forties? Fifties maybe? Well who knew where technology would be by then!

"What does that mean?" Maria snapped.

"Late twenties," he doctor replied softly, "Hopefully."

Maria clenched her fist around the crisp white sheets as she tried to clear her mind of the news she had just heard. If she could just not think about it, she would be fine, everything would be fine. Then, Anka touched her arm and Maria was jerked back into the present. Her breathing became disjointed and she clenched her eyes to keep tears from falling onto her cheeks. "It's okay to cry," Anka whispered, "It's perfectly okay."

Think of your music, she told herself. Her mind raced over different compositions, but she couldn't focus in on any single one. In the back of her mind, her mother was still babbling on, almost in tears herself. In a daze, Maria threw the sheet off of her and swung her leg over the side and said to her mother and doctor behind her, "I need to be by myself."

With little resistance from either of them, Maria slumped down and walked slowly out of the room, eerily aware of each tiny movement she made. Outside, March and Shadow waited, but Maria didn't feel like speaking to either of them. She barely noticed Shadow giving her a curious expression.

"Maria…" he started, but Maria held up her hand and continued walking.


	18. Maria prt 1

Quick Disclaimer: All the mistakes in here are on purpose! Anyways, this was one of my favorite chapters to write, so please enjoy! –Anne

1. January, 1944

It is a new year and I am celebrating with a new diary! It was really my grandfather's idea. He thinks I need to practice my English more, so he is having me write in a diary. I don't know how long this will go on until I become frustrated and begin speaking Polish, but we will see. My hands will hurt so much from writing and playing violin, nevertheless I think I will be writing often as Shadow is becoming more boring each day. All he does is run around the storage units with that emerald, blasting all sorts of things! When I go down there, he stops and acts all secretive. I hate to say, but he was much more fun when he was hurt. We would sit around and joke all day and now all he wants to do is train.

I should not complane so much. He does come and see me often, but it is so boring around here. I really don't think I would be as good at violin if I still lived on Earth. If I was still on the planet, I think I would like to roll in the grass, lay in the sun and climb tall trees. Up here, the floors are all metal, the only light comes from the lamps and there are, of course, not any trees, which means that I have tons of time to practise music. How lovely would it be to play violin in the sun though?

Yours Truly,

Maria

16. January 1944

I really do hate needles. I hate them. They hurt, they leave marks and worst of all they make your arm sore for hours or days after. I must get shots often and it is such a pain. I have to wake up early and eat breakfast. If I don't eat breakfast a few hours before I feel sick and faint after getting the shot. Then I have to get a shot of some medisine and have blood taken. This all happens every week and I hate it. I would not mind so much, but sometimes my arm hurts from just holding my bow. The nurse says I have skiny arms and that makes it worse. She said she could give me the shot it my leg, but I think that would hurt more.

Yesterday I tip toed down to the storage units to see what Shadow does down there that is so secret. I was hiding behind some boxes, and I was proud of myself because he had not heard me come in. I watched him for awhile and all he did was blast this poor guard robot over and over. I think he was practising some move or something. I really don't know what is so secret about that. Then the robot flew over to where I was and Shadow blasted it and all the boxes fell on me. He heard me scream and got the boxes off me. I think he felt bad about it, but of course he acted angry. He asked if I was okay and then whined about me sneaking around. He told me it was stupid to be hiding while he was training and I told him it would not be a problem if he had better aim.

I can tell when Shadow is really angry and when he is just being whiny. Most people do not know the difference, they just assume that Shadow is always angry. It is not that Shadow is always angry, but he feels like he should always act angry for some reason. I think he has given up on scaring me away, though. I know that when he insults me, he is just talking and does not mean any of it. The best thing for Shadow is to have someone to snap back at him, otherwise he will become arrogant (I had to look that word up in my dictionary!).

Yours Truly,

Maria

25 January 1944

I cannot sleep. My mind is too active and it will not let me rest. Everytime I lay down, my mind thinks of a million things. The truth is, I'm very scared. I am very afraid of death. I was reading today and death became very real. So many musicians died very young. Schubert, Chopin, Mozart and even my favorite Beethoven really did not live a long life. It said in the books that they died tragically young and I think of how old I am. I am not half of what they were and I probably will not even live as long as they will. They died young, but they left so much behind. What will I leave behind except for a stupid little diary? Why do some people mean so much to the world and others so little? This is what I think of when I try to sleep.

Yours Truly,

Maria

14 February 1944

It is St. Valentine's Day! Last year I made little valentine cards for all the doctors but I really don't think anyone kept them so I did not make any this year. Why bother? I know Mother kept hers but that is only because she is my mother and she has to. Sometimes I wonder if she wishes she had more children. Father died when I was four. I do not remember him much except that he was very tall and skinny and he would swing me around in the air while I screamed to let me down. Of course I never wanted him to stop spinning me.

I think I will go find Shadow to wish him a happy Valentine's Day. All he will do is grumble something back at me but it will be quite funny. I am laughing already thinking of what he might say!

Yours Truly,

Maria

3 March 1944

Today I was going to Granpa's office to ask him about having a new pair of shoes sent up to the colony, (the strap on my old ones broke and I can not figure out how to fix it) when I heard him listening to a radio. I couldn't really understand all of it because the radio was crackling and the man was speaking too quickly, but I knew it was about the war. It was funny- I had almost forgotten about it. Up here I am so far away from all of it, that I never think about the people down on earth who still have to face the war everyday. I remember being scared when the sirens went off and being sad when hearing about all the deaths. When you're up here, I think it is difficult to relate to the people on earth.

When Granpa asked me what I needed, I felt so bad about thinking about something as silly as shoes that I said "nothing" and left.

Yours Truly,

Maria

20 March 1944

I could kill him. I could just kill him sometimes. Shadow can be sooo...I don't know the word! I was trying to learn science and I was studying real hard, and it was quite difficult and he looks over and says "that's easy" in that little tone of his. That's all he said and then he walked off! I was so angry that I could not even think of anything to say before he left. When he left, though, I thought of all sorts of nasty things to say, but I don't think I would ever bring it up again. Sometimes with him it's just best to drop some things than fight it out. He can be so stubborn.

Once we got into a fight over something, (I don't even remember what it was) and we stopped talking to each other. Well, since it's boring on the colony anyways, we still hung out a lot, but we wouldn't talk to each other. We started writing notes to each other because neither of us wanted to start talking again and lose. I think Shadow forgot and talked to me once and I teased him about winning for weeks after that.

Yours Truly,

Maria

April 2, 1944

For as long as I can remember I was never allowed to be around Granpa while he was working. I've seen some scientists up here who let their children watch and help with their experiments and so on, but I've never been allowed to do that. On earth when people would ask me what my grandfather studies, I never had an answer. Granpa's work has always been too secret, too close to GUN for me to know exactly what he does. I've asked many times and more than once I've tried to trick it out of him, but I've never gotten an answer, I've never been clever enough.

Today, though, I was looking around for Grandpa but he wasn't in his office, room or any of his normal labs. I went down to the labs in the bottom most area of the colony. I thought I heard him talking in one of the labs, so I went inside. He wasn't in there, but I did see a glass cage sitting on one of the tables. In it was a little orange lizard. At first I thought it was a salamander, but it was too fat to be that. There were wires and little tubes sticking out of it. He looked like me after me surgery actually! The wierdest thing was, he was looking at me, straight at me! I thought for a second that he might actually start to talk. How silly. He looked really sweet and harmless so I had thought about taking him out and petting him. I'd imagine that he doesn't recieve much affection from all the scientists around. I got nervous, though, and ran away. I still don't know what that little lizard was or what they were doing to it. I think I will go back and visit him because he looked quite lonely.

Yours,

Maria


	19. Maria prt 2

Sorry this chapter took so long, but here it is, finally! -Anne

15 April 1944

I know I shouldn't have, but I did it…I went back to see the lizard. I've been trying to think of names, but I can't tell if it's a boy or a girl. I know I've been calling him "him" but it just feels so rude to say "it". He has pinky-purple-y colored scales but I just get the feeling that he's a boy. Besides, whoever said boy lizards can't have pink scales anyways? I sat and watched him for awhile. I feel so bad that he has to stay in that little cage all day. He really is a smart lizard, though. When he saw me, he looked excited as if he recognized me. Maybe I'm crazy, thinking a lizard can really recognize faces.

Yours,

Maria

20 April 1944

There really isn't a lot to do up here. It's like a prison, a large prison, but still. You can wander the colony, but I've done that and I can say that there isn't much to be seen. It's all the same, just metal and odd colored lights. You can feel how alone you are, how you know that there is nothing else living around you. No birds, rabbits, rats, bugs, anything. It gives me the creeps and I can't stand to be in the lower parts of the colony for very long.

Other things you can do up here is read in the library, look out the observatory or play violin, of course. There aren't any books you would read for just fun, though. Mostly the library only has books for the scientists. I'm not very smart with things like Math and Science and so those books aren't very interesting to me.

I spend most of my time playing my violin. I borrow most of my music from one of the scientists who used to play and brought with him all of his old music when he moved here. Some days I've played so long that I've gotten blisters on my fingers. Now they're mostly calloused and tough so it's no longer a problem.

Yours,

Maria

6 May, 1944

I had another seizure yesterday. They're, of course, always really unpleasant. Fortunately, I don't remember anything most of the time and I just wake up in the hospital wing. I always feel fine afterwards, just a little bit dizzy. Though I feel fine, my doctors seem to think that keeping me in a hospital room is going to magically make me better. I'm bored, so I'm going to write.

I'm a little bit frustrated because I would be so much less bored if someone were here to keep me company…However, I'm obviously all alone! Of course, diary, you know who I'm talking about: that little, black hedgehog. I've been here all morning and all afternoon and still no sight of him. I wonder what he's doing right now. Running around the colony? Bashing poor, defenseless robots? Causing some sort of trouble? I don't know, I don't care, he's not here. Of course this all seems very self-centered, doesn't it? I'm not saying he should drop everything just to come keep me company. It would just be nice if he would come by, though. If I, just hypothetically speaking, died, wouldn't he feel awful? He couldn't just come and stop by for a few moments. Now I'm being dramatic, but that's not the point.

Maybe he'll surprise me and visit later but I doubt it.

Yours,

Maria

Later

Well, he visited, for a little while. I might have been a little short with him, but it wasn't anything he didn't deserve. I could tell he was a little put off. When isn't he upset about something, though? I did notice that he had nothing to say for himself when I asked him what had taken him so long. He just crossed his arms and said something about being here now. I read that when someone crosses their arms it means that they're feeling defensive. I wonder if that was true for Shadow. Probably, he should have felt defensive anyways!

After that he just sat there, looking angry. You know, if he was sick and stuck in bed, I would come and keep him company. He said that "the world doesn't revolve around me". That's not the point! It's the principle of the matter. Friends should be there for each other. Sometimes he just doesn't get it. I can't believe him, calling me narcissistic. He's the one who's self-centered!

The worst part of all of this is, if he wasn't my only friend up here none of this would even be a problem. There's just no one up here my age, only scruffy, old men. I was quite popular when I went to school on earth. I had some very good girlfriends who I would play with after school. Even though my English wasn't very good, I still had friends.

Yours,

Maria

21 May 1944

Even though Shadow was simply awful to me after my last seizure (yes, I still remember!) I decided to take him to see Lizard. That's his name now, Lizard. It's quite gender neutral, isn't it? He's grown so much since I last saw him. He must be a good inch longer! Lizard is such a special little thing. Shadow didn't seem to agree. I asked what he thought it was, but he only laughed at me and said it was just a lizard they were experimenting on. I know it seems like he's just a test subject or a guinea pig of sorts, but I just feel like he must be something more. His eyes are just so alive…

Visiting him is so much like having a pet. When I was on earth I used to have a cat named Suzi. She was a beautiful red tabby who I picked up off the streets not long before I moved to London. When she caught birds, (which was her favorite hobby) she would drop them on the front porch like a package from the post. Mother was always horrified, of course, I never minded though. Those birds were loud and annoying anyways. I had to leave Suzi behind when I came up to ARK though. I often wonder who's taking care of her now.

Yours,

Maria

7 June 1944

Something important has happened on the surface yesterday, but I couldn't tell you exactly what. I tried to ask Granpa what had happened, but he shushed me and told me to go away. I couldn't even tell you if what happened was good or bad. I only saw all the scientists gathered around telegrams from the surface. When I listened in, I couldn't understand half of what it said. Later I asked Shadow if he knew what had happened, but all he said was that he would find out. I imagine I'll hear about it eventually. Honestly, I probably wouldn't fully understand if Granpa had told me what happened. I was never very good at understanding politics or war.

Yours

Maria

20 June 1944

I'm really not very dedicated to this diary am I? I'm quite forgetful, I always mean to write all these wonderful thoughts and emotions but I always forget. However I'm bored now because Shadow just disappeared the other day and I haven't seen him since. You'd think it'd be pretty easy to track him down up here, but Shadow has a particular talent for staying hidden. I can already tell you he'll pop back up eventually and act like nothing's happened. He likes to pretend he's unpredictable, but if that's really the case, then how do I always know what he's going to do next? Of course I don't tell him this as he would become quite defensive and grumpy. And believe me, he has both of those emotions down to an art. He would also without a doubt point out how predictable I am, even though I don't really consider that an insult.

I told him once that he had "short-man's syndrome". He was horribly offended and went on and on about hedgehogs being shorter than humans. Then he claimed that he's not short for a hedgehog. I guess I was feeling particularly mean that day because I then asked him how he knew the average size of hedgehogs seeing as how he had only ever met two of them! I don't quite remember what he said, which leads me to believe it wasn't a particularly good argument.

Yours,

Maria


	20. Maria prt 3

I know it's taken me forever, but things have been really busy lately! Hopefully, they'll start to slow down soon. Happy February and enjoy! -Anne

7 July 1944

I was thinking, my family is quite complicated, not necessarily because it is big, but just because we are a complicated bunch. I don't really know where to start, but here goes. I was born in Warsaw, and both of my parents were Polish. I was very close to my grandmother (my mother's mother) until she died in 1937. I remember standing outside of the hospital, because small children were not allowed inside the intensive care unit, and she would wave to me from her window. She bought me a toy donkey from the gift shop and that was the last thing she ever gave me. It's a morbid thought, but when I die, I look forward to seeing her again.

My father died in 1939. Most people seem to think he died when the Germans invaded, but actually it was from illness. He was a banker, not a soldier. I remember he was very tall (but perhaps that was because I was very short) and he always wore a suit with shiny, black shoes. He once told me he had a little brother, but I've never met him and I couldn't even tell you his name. Other than that I don't really have any family except for my grandfather.

When I was very young my grandfather lived in Germany for his work. As I've said before, I've never been entirely sure what my grandfather researches exactly, but I know he worked very closely with the German government when it was in Weimar. Then in 1933 he worked with the new government. My grandfather has never been too involved in politics as long as he could carry out his research. It was then, in 1933, when his research began to involve first Scarlett and then later on, Shadow.

Later on something went wrong between my grandfather and the Nazis just before the war began and he was forced to flee. I've asked my grandfather what exactly happened, but once again he refuses to tell me. Shadow doesn't know either, but he told me that Scarlett knew, or at least he believed she did. I have my own theories, though. Things went south before the attack on Poland, so it couldn't have been that. I also can't imagine the feud having anything to do with his research as he had worked under the Nazis for years. I said my grandfather was never particularly political, but I'm convinced that his political beliefs must have led the Nazis to force him out. Perhaps that's just wishful thinking, though. It's difficult to believe that your own grandfather could even tolerate the Nazis. I guess it's nice to think he stood up against them.

Yours,

Maria

20 August 1944

I didn't sleep well last night so who knows what I will end up writing about! No doubt I will end up regretting the ridiculousness of this entry. I woke up early this morning after an odd dream. I was in Paris except it looked like the lower levels of ARK, but my mind told me I was in Paris. I remember looking for the Champs-Elysees, but knowing it was destroyed. I kept on walking, looking as if it didn't matter. At one point, I thought, maybe I should stop looking, but I didn't. I thought that if I stopped, then somehow I would make it true that it had been destroyed.

After that I couldn't go to sleep, so I just tossed and turned in bed. No matter how tired I was, I just couldn't seem to go back to sleep. Now I'm exhausted. I think a nap might not be a bad idea, but I always feel so lazy after taking a nap.

Yours,

Maria

31 August 1944

As of late I've been on this religious fix, reading the Bible, saying my various prayers and everything. I don't quite know what's gotten me into this mood, but it can't be anything but good for me, right? When my father was alive, we were very religious, went to mass every week and said our prayers together every night before bed. I miss it. I would always poke or elbow my father throughout the service and Mother would always shush and glare at us. After my father died, we never really were consistent like that ever again. Going to mass, praying, that was a family thing.

Just as Granpa isn't very political, he isn't very religious either. Once we moved to London, we never picked back up on going to mass again. There is a Catholic mass up here, but I've never been and I'm much too shy to start going now. I think I will stay in my corner to pray, that way if I fail, it will be between me and God. That's a horrible reason.

Yours,

Maria

15 September 1944

While up here in the middle of nowhere, you learn some odd skills. We have technology that some on the planet wouldn't even dream of, but there are some things you just never realize you need until they're missing. There isn't a tailor up here. There's this annoying little process of filling out paper work to have some ugly, boxy clothing sent up here, but once they're up here you either have to be content to look ugly and boxy or you can figure out how to use a needle and thread yourself. Mother used to sew all my clothes for me, but I might have complained a bit too much about them looking frumpy so now I'm on my own. I probably should have been thankful, but some of the things she sewed were just dreadful. I can't aspire to study in Paris and look like a frump muffin. I'm not sure what that means exactly, but I think I've made my point.

Anyways, I've taken up using Mother's sewing machine and have already managed to ruin a few of my old dresses. Mother was horrified that I had destroyed so many things that she wanted to keep. Why you would want to keep some old, worn-in dresses is beyond me, but they were good practice. Maybe I'll even be able to make my own clothes soon! Then I can just order fabric and do all the designing myself- skip all the frump!

Yours,

Maria

5 October 1944

Chess is simply an awful game. It makes no sense. Of course I understand how it's played and what the different pieces do and all that mess, but that doesn't mean it's logical. Try telling Shadow that, though, the essence of chess is logical, or so according to him. What sort of logic based game has castles moving? I know the castles are called "rooks" or something like that- Yes, Shadow was kind enough to inform me. Besides that, in what war has a bishop or a queen ever fought? I've only ever heard of some crazy Celtic queen ever actually going to war. But according to Shadow, that is all irrelevant. "It's not supposed to be taken literally, Maria! It's about strategy!" Of course I know it's about strategy! All I'm trying to tell him is that the strategy is illogical.

This is not about whether or not I won the game. Being an illogical game, it doesn't really matter now does it?

Oh yes, and apparently horses can now jump sideways.

Yours,

Maria


	21. Maria prt 4

So apparently it has been many, many months since I have posted anything. Sorry! Life is insane!

-Anne

10 November 1944

Sometimes I wonder what people think about me. Of course different people think different things. Take my grandfather for example. He thinks of me as this quiet, sweet girl who really isn't that smart. He thinks that because that's how I act around him. I still call him "Granpa", like a little girl. I don't have his kind of intelligence, so I don't really try. I just don't understand math and science. I understand people and emotion better. If I just act sweet and don't try to be smart, then he will never think less of me. If I try to be my usual self, he will only think of me as rude and dumb. Of course I can't just pull that act around my grandfather, I have to keep it up around the other scientists too. So now they think I'm Dr. Robotnik's simple, chronically ill granddaughter.

Every time I act that way around Shadow, he just gives me this look. This look that says, I know you're full of crap. He is one of the select few who gets to see my true colors. I don't wonder what he thinks of me. Actually he makes it quite clear. That's the beauty of him: you always know exactly where you stand. His compliments are quite funny. One day, out of nowhere, he just says, "You're annoying, like a little gnat, but I don't mind putting up with you". As I write this, I'm saying it to myself, but really I don't do it justice. But, that's about as close as anyone will ever get to a compliment. He might as well have just said I'm the hero of the earth.

Ironic that he should call me a gnat, he's the one who's tiny, quick and never goes away.

Yours,

Maria

21 November 1944

I'm a patient person. Well, maybe not particularly patient, but I'm certainly not impatient. Anyways, there are still some things which I absolutely cannot stand to hear. One of those things is: Can't you play Pachelbel's Canon in D. Well of course I can play it. I can play anything I want! The real question is whether or not I will play it. And the answer is no, I will not play that unbearable piece. I sound cynical, don't I? It's the piece everyone plays at their wedding. How could I dislike it? Well that's just it, everyone plays it!

I was practicing in the library and one of the new scientist's wives came in to listen. She seems nice enough, a little on the young side with thin, but pretty mouse colored hair. I feel bad for being so annoyed by her, but she asked me to play it. She couldn't even remember the piece's actual name: she just said "that one wedding song". I guess I've gone on about how much I dislike it before, because Shadow started laughing immediately after she asked.

"That one wedding song"?! It's not even a song, it's called a piece. You sing a song, you play a piece. For someone who's not particularly well educated, I certainly am a snob.

Yours

Maria

7 December 1944

If I was on earth, it'd probably be snowing by now. Even though the permanent 22 degrees up here is nice, a little variety would be much appreciated. Nothing makes you appreciate summer more than a bitter winter, and vice versa. Not that I didn't enjoy winter, snow is great fun and I've never been too sensitive to the cold. A little bit of suffering, whether it's from winter or summer, is never a bad thing (unless of course you freeze to death, that is almost always bad). Yes, you can never appreciate nice weather unless you survive the nasty parts of every season.

Every year around Christmas I would go visit my grandfather in Germany. To be perfectly honest I never particularly cared for our trip to visit him, but I did enjoy the train ride there. I'd stare out the window and mother always let me have candy. I'd draw pictures on the windows using my breath and the cold on the other side.

Everything was always great fun until we actually arrived in Berlin. I said I didn't enjoy being in Germany and there was one reason why…Shadow was a particularly mean child. Maybe he wasn't like that all the time, but just really enjoyed torturing me. Of course I didn't speak a word of German and he no Polish. But being the only children around, we were pretty much forced to entertain each other. I know I said I like snow, but I never liked snow when he was around.

One year, as an early Christmas present I got a beautiful, white coat. I was so excited to play in the white snow with my white coat, make snow angels and generally look pretty. I thought I would look like the inside of a snow globe. Of course, being young and naïve, I never thought Shadow would manage to ruin that. Once I got to Berlin and was all dressed up and ready for the snow, the first thing I wanted to do was make some amazing snow angels.

From the moment I got to Berlin, I refused to acknowledge Shadow. I thought for some reason that if I ignored him, he would leave me alone. Really, I think it just encouraged him, being as stubborn as he is. With a misplaced sense of security, I went to go play in the snow in the garden. I could see him out of the corner of my eye, looming on the roof. At the time, I thought he was just sulking and so I continue studiously ignoring him. Of course, that's just what he wanted- to be left to his own devices to come up with a plan to ruin my time. Eventually I wandered too close to the wall. I should have known better. The snow was piling up on the roof, it was about to come crashing down by itself, so when I got too close, it didn't take Shadow much effort to shove it all down on top of me. Actually being covered in snow wasn't the bad part, it was being buried in the snow and all the mud underneath it.

Once Granpa pulled me out of the snow, I saw that my new white coat was now horribly stained and soaked. Mother tried her best to clean it, but nothing worked. While I was sitting on the cold, hard ground, throwing a very impressive tantrum, Scarlett was dragging Shadow back inside. She was saying some pretty nasty things to him, but I don't think he cared- he was too busy grinning at me evilly. He seemed quite proud of himself.

The other day I reminded Shadow of this little event. He just started laughing at me. I'd say he remembers it pretty well. On the bright side, on ARK there are far fewer opportunities for Shadow to torment me.

Yours

Maria


End file.
